


Let It Be Me

by queenannabethwinchester (orphan_account)



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Angst, Fluff, M/M, Not Underage, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-24
Updated: 2014-01-29
Packaged: 2017-12-24 11:21:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 127,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/939390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/queenannabethwinchester
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Castiel is a focused, hardworking student and Dean is a teacher. When Castiel is forced to take elective classes, he finds himself in Dean's auto shop class and is taken aback by his sudden attraction to his teacher.</p>
<p>This work is for tumblr user i-am-mishafuckingcollins who won a challenge and got to tell me the plot idea.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings: This is going to have angst and sadness but it will also have a happy ending. All of my stories have happy endings.
> 
> Title: Named after a Ray Lamontagne song of the same name.

“That isn’t right.” the young man insisted, leaning forward to stare into the guidance counselor’s eyes.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Novak. I’ve been over your records several times with both you and your parents. While you have taken plenty of advanced placement and college-level classes, you are severely lacking in the electives that you know are required at this school. The majority of your final year is going to be spent making up for that gap in your records.” Miss Braeden said unapologetically, glancing at the computer screen at his records.

“It’s not a gap! I avoided the classes on purpose because they are ridiculous!” Castiel argued, frustration evident in his voice. 

At her raised eyebrow, he took a deep breath and attempted to calm himself down.

“No amount of finger painting is going to help me get into medical school. There must be an exception.” He stressed.

She sighed and reached into a drawer, pulling out a packet of stapled papers.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Novak. No one gets to be an exception, not even the mayor’s son. Here’s a list of the classes that are being offered this year. The electives are on the last page. There are only five choices and you must take three of them along with the four college-level science, math, and language classes you’re taking. If you want I could give you some recommendations…”

“No thank you.” Castiel snapped, snatching the papers off of the counter and whirling around to charge out of the office.

“You have to get your revised schedule turned in by tomorrow at three, Mr. Novak!” the counselor called after him, unbothered by his cold behavior since she had to deal with moody teenagers all day every day.

Castiel huffed, knowing that he shouldn’t have snapped at her but he was too frustrated to care at the moment. He stomped to the parking lot where his brother was waiting by their junker of a shared car.

“You look like someone burned your collection of anatomy books, little brother!” Gabriel said with a grin, throwing his arm over Castiel’s shoulder once he reached him.

“You did that last year, Gabriel. As I recall, you wanted to see whether you could make me cry like a little girl.” the younger brother shot back, digging his elbow into his older brother’s ribs.

Gabriel laughed as Castiel ripped the passenger door opened and climbed in.

“That was a great day. I think I might have even seen a few tears in your eyes.” He said, taunting him as he climbed in the driver’s seat.

“I saw far more than a few tears in yours when father told us that you had to pay for my new books.” Castiel reminded him.

Gabriel’s smile faded for a moment and he huffed.

“Thanks for the reminder. My bank account still hasn’t recovered. Who knew that anatomy books were so damn expensive?” 

“I could have told you that before you took a welding torch to them. Where did you even get a welding torch?” Castiel questioned, remembering that Gabriel’s acquisition of the tool always confused him.

Gabriel glanced over at him, grinning and winking. 

“The auto shop teacher. The guy is awesome. He’ll let you take anything as long as you bring it back undamaged. If you don’t bring back or it’s damaged, he makes you pay for it.” 

Castiel paused as Gabriel pulled out of Lawrence High School’s parking lot before remembering something. 

“Michael ran over the torch with his car when you announced your intention to burn your name onto his driver’s door.” He remarked, turning to look at Gabriel.

The older brother grimaced.

“Welding torches are really expensive too.” He muttered.

Castiel let out a chuckle before he remembered that he was in a foul mood and he glared down at the list in his hands.

“Uh-oh… did the mean counselor tell Cassie he couldn’t take his fiftieth biology course?” Gabriel taunted, already back in good spirits as he went back to teasing his little brother.

“I have to take three electives this year. It’s preposterous. And don’t call me that.” He ranted, tempted to tear up the papers in his hands. 

“Yeah welcome to the world of real people, Cassie.” Castiel glowered at Gabriel when he repeated the nickname. “No one can take every single advanced placement class in the book without having to take the occasional blow-off class. It’ll be great. You’ll get by no problem.” 

“I don’t want to take any blow-off classes and I don’t want to get by in anything! I have maintained a perfect GPA for three years and now I have to cheapen my transcripts with frivolous classes that will not help me become a world-renowned cardiothoracic surgeon.” he grumbled, sitting back and crossing his arms over his chest petulantly.

Gabriel laughed and patted him on the shoulder.

“I sympathize with you, Cassie. I really do.” He said sarcastically.

He swatted his brother’s hand before turning to face the window as the car gave a nasty lurch when they turned onto the main street.

\---------------

“This is not as bad as you make it seem, Castiel.” His mother said knowingly as she tossed the salad for their dinner. 

He stared at her miserably from where he was sitting at the island a few feet from her.

“It’s ridiculous.” Castiel mumbled, glaring down at the list of electives below him.

“You’re being a bit dramatic.” Anna said, ruffling his hair as she breezed past him to get a bottle of water from the fridge.

“You would have thrown a fit if the school made you take extra science classes.” He accused her.

“That’s because I took the science classes that were required and taking the extra ones would have made no sense. I was smart enough to take them early so that I wouldn’t have to worry about it my senior year.” 

“Now Castiel is a genius. He just didn’t plan ahead.” Rebecca defended her son, patting his hand before she moved to check on the roast in the oven.

“Yeah Cassie, you have to plan ahead.” Gabriel said, hopping up onto the counter to perch next to Anna, who was swinging her legs back and forth. “You have condoms right?”

Anna choked on her water as Castiel flushed and their mother gave Gabriel a severe look.

“You know we don’t talk about that stuff, Gabriel.” She lectured him, stirring the gravy in the pot on the stove before moving to finish the salad.

“Yeah, Gabe.” Luci said, sauntering into the room and reaching into the salad to toss a cherry tomato into his mouth as Rebecca swatted at him. “We don’t make fun of Cassie for not having a girlfriend or a boyfriend. He’ll have one eventually. We were all late bloomers.”

“You had your first boyfriend when you were thirteen. Castiel is seventeen, eighteen in three months.” Anna reminded him.

Castiel groaned and let his head fall to the counter.

“What is this I hear about girlfriends and boyfriends and condoms?” Charles Novak asked as he walked into the kitchen and set his briefcase down.

“Nothing!” Gabriel, Anna, and Lucifer chorused.

He gave them a doubtful look as he loosened his tie and walked to his wife to kiss her.

“Chuck you know I don’t like talking about that. Control your children.” Rebecca hissed at him, smiling despite herself.

“Yes, control your children.” Castiel muttered, his cheeks red and his hair sticking out uncontrollably from how much he’d messed with it in his stress-induced mood.

Chuck smiled and walked to his youngest son, sitting next to him.

“What’s the cause of your stress, my child? If it’s the girlfriend-boyfriend thing, don’t worry about it. I didn’t meet your mother until junior year of college and look where we are. Your time will come.”

Castiel gave him a withering glare as Anna giggled behind her hand and his two brothers smirked. Rebecca scolded Chuck as he chuckled.

“It’s not about any girls or boys! You know I’ve never put any focus on that aspect of life. It’s about my school and their absurd rules!” he hissed.

“What did they do now?” Chuck asked, peering at the list that was the focus of Castiel’s fury.

He sighed heavily and pushed the list towards his father.

“They’re forcing me to take pointless electives when I could easily fit three more college-level classes into my schedule. When I tried to argue, the counselor said there was nothing she, or anyone else, could do. I don’t think they realize how irritating their rules are. If I wanted to take art classes, I would take them.” 

“There’s nothing wrong with art!” Anna exclaimed, narrowing her eyes at him as she gestured to her own paint splattered clothes.

“I never said that but I do not personally wish to devote my time to it considering that I’ve never been nor will I ever be interested in art… or theater or choir or industrial workshop or auto shop.” Castiel ranted as he read off the electives that were available.

“Auto shop? They still have that?” Gabriel demanded, launching up and snatching the list away from him as he read it. “I loved that class!”

They all stared at him with questioning looks since Gabriel hated anything to do with fixing cars.

“Ah the same guy still teaches it! Cassie you have to take this class! It’ll be great, I promise.” He said, slapping the list down and circling it with the pen that Castiel was using to consider his courses.

“I have no interest in learning how to fix a car from a greased up fat man in a jumpsuit who can’t control his body odor or maintain a comfortable distance.” He said with narrowed eyes, yanking the pen away from him.

Gabriel put his hands on his cheeks and turned his face to look at him. Castiel glowered at him through his squished cheeks. 

“Trust me, Castiel.” He said, taking his younger brother by surprise since he hardly ever called him by his given name. “Take this class. You will not regret it.”

Castiel sighed heavily and shoved Gabriel away before glancing back at the list to consider his options.

“I agree with Gabriel.”

They all turned to see Michael walk in holding a thick file that belonged to his law firm.

“It’s about time Castiel learned how to fix his junker so that he stops taking it into the mechanic every other week.” 

“That’s true.” The rest of them murmured except for the youngest who was looking even more disgruntled.

“Traitors.” Castiel muttered, throwing a cherry tomato at his oldest brother who smirked at him.

“Speaking of, I’m twenty-years-old. Isn’t it about time that I got my own nice pretty new car like Annie, Luci, and Mikey?” Gabriel asked, blinking innocently at his parents.

“You know the rules, Gabriel. Anna, Lucifer, and Michael paid for their own new vehicles with their own well-earned money. As soon as you get a job and stop bumming off of us, you have my full permission to get your own nice pretty new car.” Chuck reminded him.

Gabriel grimaced as the rest laughed at him.

\---------------

Castiel tried to keep the sour look off of his face as he wandered back into the office the next morning to hand in his new schedule. Miss Braedon looked up at him with an amused look. 

“I’m honestly surprised, I thought you might switch schools in order to avoid taking these electives.” She said as she took the paper from him.

“That would be nonsensical. My course credits might not cross over properly.” He said gruffly, his hands shoved in his jeans pockets.

She shook her head with a slight smile as she typed his information into the computer.

“You’re taking auto shop?” the counselor asked, glancing up at him with surprise. 

Castiel nodded in one jerking motion.

“My brother encouraged me to. He told me that I would like it but I have a hard time believing him. It was better than choir or industrial workshop, however.” He said, staring down at the counter.

“Most students actually end up loving the class. It’s not the most popular subject but the teacher is worth it. I think you’ll get along well.” Miss Braedon said. 

Castiel looked at her doubtfully. 

“I’m not much of a car person.” He informed her.

“Everyone says that but somehow they end up doing great in the class. It’s one of those classes that you have to try really hard to fail. Mr. Winchester is a great teacher and endlessly patient.” She explained.

“And no doubt gifting his students with higher grades on account of his fat, greasy, wandering hands.” Castiel thought to himself as he watched her print off his new schedule.

“Thanks, Miss. Braedon.” He said, taking the paper from her.

“Call me Lisa. I have a feeling this isn’t the last time I’ll see you, Castiel.” She said knowingly with the same amusement in her voice.

Castiel sighed and nodded at her before turning to walk out as he glowered down at his schedule. His electives were all scheduled in the afternoon one after another. Theater was first, after lunch, followed by art then auto shop last. In the morning, his classes consisted of Environmental Science, Italian Language and Culture, Calculus BC, and Human Geography.

“I’m going to hate this.” he grumbled, pushing his way out of the school and back to the parking lot.

\---------------

Castiel knew that he should have been expecting his group of friends to be waiting for him on the first day of school. Gabriel pulled up to the front of the school where they were huddled together waiting.

“The car is mine tomorrow.” He reminded his brother before opening the door and grabbing his old messenger bag off of the floorboard.

“Have a good day, Cassie! Make good choices! Make me proud! I love you, cupcake!” 

Castiel slammed the door shut on his brother’s teasing though he could still hear Gabriel’s cackling as he pulled away.

“Balthazar Roché is eyeing you.” Jo said, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder before looping her arm through his and pulling them close together.

“Balthazar Roché has been eyeing me for two years and I haven’t cared in the slightest.” Castiel replied, rolling his eyes.

“Ugh!” Jo groaned, tossing her head backwards. “Your lack of sex life and ever present mystery of your sexuality is frustrating, Castiel James Novak!” 

“Your obsessive interest in my lack of sex life and ever present mystery of my sexuality is creepy, Joanna Beth Harvelle.” Castiel shot back without missing a beat as they approached the rest of their friends.

“Touché, Novak, touché.” Jo sighed.

“Are you taking Physics C this year, Castiel?” Ash asked, already pushing to compare schedules.

“No, I was bumped out.” he grumbled, hoisting his bag’s strap higher on his shoulder.

“Why?” Charlie asked, hooking her other arm through Cas’s.

Castiel shook his head, not wanting to explain it once again.

“The school determined that I was lacking in elective courses and informed me that I had to take three of them.” he sighed.

They all looked surprised that he wasn’t able to talk his way out of it considering that the entire Novak family was known for being smooth talkers.

“What electives are you taking?” Pamela asked, trailing behind them.

“Art, theater, and auto shop.” He replied, glancing back at her.

“I’m taking art.” Pamela said, grinning at him.

“I’m taking theater.” Charlie said, nudging him with her elbow.

“I’m taking shop.” Jo said last, bumping her hip against his.

They all looked at her questioningly.

“Okay but it’s only because I had to. My mom and Dean have been bothering me to take it since I came to high school and I was finally pressured into it.” she grumbled, shrugging. “But I am kind of excited. Fixing cars is cool.”

“Dean?” Castiel questioning, having never heard her talk about a Dean in the five years they’d known each other.

“Yeah, Dean… Winchester. Mr. Winchester.” She said as if it was obvious.

“You know him?” he asked, his eyes widening.

“Of course! He comes into my mom’s restaurant a lot with a few others. He’s her go-to mechanic. He’s really funny.” Jo nodded.

“Funny?” Castiel asked, surprised at the idea.

“Why are you so surprised by that? Did you have a bad run in with him or something?” Jo scoffed.

“No I’ve never met him. But… he’s not a dirty perverted obese man?” 

Jo let out a pealing laugh, detaching from him to throw her head back with the force of her laughter.

“You are the greatest, Castiel, honestly.” She said, patting his shoulder before grasping Ash’s arm to drag him off. 

“What?” Castiel asked, confused as to what was funny.

“You’ll see in seventh period.” She said, red-faced and still laughing as she skipped away with Ash, who was also amused.

“I don’t see what the joke is.” Castiel muttered.

“You will.” Pamela said, amused as well. “I met Mr. Winchester last year. He’s great.” 

“Why does everyone seem to know him except for me?” Castiel asked.

“Because you don’t pull your nose out of those science books long enough to appreciate what’s in front of you.” Charlie informed him.

“I apologize, Charlie. I don’t make a habit of appreciating my much older teachers that often.” He said dryly.

Charlie and Pamela both laughed loudly and he huffed, tired of being laughed at.

“You might want to change that habit.” Pamela said cryptically before they pulled him inside as the first bell rang.

\---------------

His first four classes went by quickly and he was sitting at lunch with his usual group when Jo began smacking his shoulder insistently.

“Dean is in the teacher’s line! Look behind you!” she hissed, trying to get his attention over there. 

Castiel began to turn his head but he was distracted by another person sliding onto the bench next to him.

“When are you going to give me your number, Castiel? It’s our last year, after all.” a smooth voice said.

He rolled his eyes and turned to glower at Balthazar as Jo made a disappointed sound.

“Never, Balthazar, as always. When are you going to stop asking me?” he replied before tossing a grape into his mouth.

“Never, Castiel, as always.” He replied, smirking.

The dark-haired boy rolled his eyes before pulling out a piece of paper and scrawling down a number. Balthazar looked thrilled when he handed it to him.

“This is my older brother’s number. His name is Lucifer and despite his penchant for teasing me, he is very protective.” Castiel informed him. “He would be very interested to learn of your harassment so why don’t you call him and explain?” 

Balthazar huffed out a chuckle and stood.

“I’ll get it one day, Cassie darling.” He said, waving before walking off.

“You missed him.” Jo grumbled as the rest of the table laughed over Castiel’s rejection of his admirer. 

“I’ll see him in a few hours and frankly I’m not sure that I’ll be thrilled to do so.” he replied.

Jo rolled her eyes as Pamela teased Castiel for his smooth refusal of Balthazar’s flirting.

“Castiel it’s time to go to theater!” Charlie said excitedly, seizing his arm and dragging him up. 

He was barely able to grab his tray and wave to the rest of their friends before they bolted across the cafeteria.

“I was in the meeting to decide what plays we’re performing this year. It’s Shakespeare themed so we’re doing Much Ado About Nothing, Richard III, and Macbeth!” she informed them as they hurried down towards the school’s theater.

“That’s great.” Castiel replied, trying to sound enthusiastic for the thrilled redhead’s sake.

\---------------

Jo was waiting for him at his locker when art was over.

“I was told by Miss Wilson to wear rattier clothing if I didn’t want to get paint all over them. I’m having to change my wardrobe in order to take this class.” He informed her with a disgruntled look.

She laughed as he put his bag into the locker, knowing from his brother that Mr. Winchester didn’t like school bags in the shop.

“Dean will probably tell you the same thing. We might need to take you shopping.” She said, walking with him along with other students including Andy Gallagher, Gordon Walker, Harry Spangler and Ed Zeddmore (who were always inseparable), Garth Fitzgerald, and Meg Masters.

“Hey Clarence.” Meg said silkily, moving closer to Castiel with a smirk.

“Back off Masters!” Jo hissed.

“Oh is your unrequited crush flaring up, Harvelle?” the dark-haired girl taunted.

Jo glared at her and pulled Castiel away as he stared at the sultry female. Meg waved at him and winked before walking ahead of them to catch up with Gordon. 

“Don’t pay attention to her, Castiel. She’s an attention whore and she wanted you as badly as Balthazar does.” Jo said, glowering at her back.

“She does?” he questioned, confused.

She rolled her eyes and looked at him.

“Everyone wants you, Castiel. You’re all innocent and corruptible.” 

“I am not.” He said, offended.

“Yes you are.” She said simply, pulling him quicker towards the separate building that housed the large garage. 

Castiel had never even been anywhere near the building because he’d had no reason to go to it. It was bigger up close than he thought it would be. When they walked past Garth, who was holding the door open for everyone with a huge, friendly smile, his eyes widened as he took in the large place that was flooded with light. There were eight broken down cars lined up against the wall with all manner of tools spread around the place. A paper-covered desk sat in the corner and at the far end where several garage doors were closed, a black classic car sat with a pair of denim-clad legs sticking out from underneath it. Jo skipped over to the car, her hand grasped in Castiel’s.

“Hey!” she kicked at the man’s boots over and over again.

“Jo Harvelle you stop kicking me or I’ll fail you right now!” a deep, rough voice came out from underneath the car.

“You will not.” She scoffed, reaching down to grasp his ankles.

She pulled backwards, dragging him out from underneath the car.

“You’ve got a class here so get your ass up and teach!”

Everyone else gawked at her at the way she was talking to their teacher. Castiel was gawking for an entire different reason. The man who appeared was not the fat, perverted man who he imagined. His hunter green t-shirt was spotted with grease and he had a stained rag in his hand. His hair was attractively mussed and his tanned skin shone with a light sheen of sweat.

“You’re killin’ me, smalls.” He grunted as he stood. 

Castiel stepped back, his eyes wide as he took in the man’s height and quite attractive and younger than expected body. Jo grinned over at him as he stared.

“Hey guys. I’m Mr. Winchester but I hate being called that so call me Dean. I have just a few rules. No messing around. There’s lots of sharp stuff and dangerous chemicals around here that can do some damage. No touching each other’s projects. If I catch you doing it’ll you start yours all over again and do a week of detention. If you borrow stuff from the garage, bring it back in the condition you found it or you’ll be paying for a new one. Lastly, do not under any circumstance go anywhere near that beautiful black car over there. If you touch it, you’ll lose a finger. Remember those rules and you’ll be fine. Missing classes is going to set you way far behind so don’t skip. If you treat me and your fellow students right, we’ll all have a great time in here.” 

His eyes scanned them all. They lingered on Castiel for a few moments and the dark-haired young man saw that his eyes were a striking green that captivated him.

“All right, so here’s how we’re going to do this.” he said, clapping his hands and moving towards the row of cars. “I’m sure that you’ve noticed that there are eight of these broken down beauties and eight of you. This is your project for the year. You will all be fixing these up to perfect running condition under my watchful eye. The student who gets the highest grade will get the greatest prize of them all.”

Meg stepped forward with her hands on her hips.

“What is that prize, Dean?” she purred, posing in a position that was supposed to look sexy but looked silly for some reason.

Dean himself gave her a raised eyebrow before patting the top of one of the cars, an old VW bug.

“Whoever gets the highest grade gets to keep their car. These were donated by a good friend for free and he has given me full permission to give one away. The rest will be given back to him to sell.” 

Everyone murmured to themselves, looking thrilled with the idea.

“So the first thing you’re going to do is pick your car. Then you’re going to get out your smart phones and fancy tablets. You’re going to look up the name of the car, find the year it was made and who made it then I’ll come around and you’ll tell me the information along with your name. I’m not going to do any of those crappy ‘getting to know you’ games because those are stupid. So… get on it.” Dean said.

Jo grasped Castiel’s hand and dragged him over to two cars side by side before anyone else could get to them. 

“Yours is that one.” She said, shoving him towards a faded red car that looked like it would never run again.

“Why this one?” he asked, frowning at her as she leaned on her own car.

“Because.” Jo said simply, grinning at him and sliding into the car she laid dibs on to sit on the shredded leather seat.

There was a scramble from everyone else as they tried to claim their cars. Finally, five minutes later they had their cars chosen and silence filled the air as Dean surveyed them.

“Get started.” He said simply, kicking off the next hour and forty-five minutes that they were going to have in his class.

Castiel watched as he crossed to a panel on the wall and switched it up, causing air conditioning to kick on for them.

“Castiel!” Jo hissed and he glanced at her. “Get started! Yours is a ‘66 Chevelle.” 

He pulled out his phone and began typing the name of the car as well as the year. He discovered that Chevy made the car and his work was done. As the rest of the students typed furiously except for him and Jo, who already knew what hers was. They were staring at each other, both with bored expressions, when Jo perked up and smiled at someone who walked up behind them. Castiel turned and his eyes widened when he watched Dean squat between them.

“How’s your mom?” he asked, focused on Jo as Castiel fidgeted where he was sitting on the seat of his car.

“She’s good. I know she’d like to see you.” the blonde answered, grinning at him.

“I’ll be in soon. Bobby and I are planning on coming with Rufus.” Dean answered with a smile, wiping his brow.

Jo’s eyes slid past him and to Castiel, who was trying not to look like he was listening into their conversation.

“This is my friend Castiel.” She said, pointing at him. 

Dean turned and his eyes caught on him once again, grinning at him.

“Castiel what?” he asked.

The young man was speechless for a moment at the way Dean’s perfect lips formed his name. He shook himself out of it, wondering when he began paying attention to anyone’s lips.

“Castiel Novak.” He explained.

Dean’s eyes lit up with recognition.

“I went to school with your sister, I think. Anna Novak?” he questioned.

Castiel was taken aback by that information. His sister was only twenty-four years old and whereas Dean didn’t exactly look older, he didn’t expect a teacher at the school to be so young, especially since Gabriel had him two years previous.

“Yes. You also had my brother in your class too, Gabriel Novak.” 

Dean’s smile faded and he squinted at him.

“That little asshole destroyed my welding torch.” He said, sounding upset about it even after two years.

Castiel couldn’t help the smile that broke out on his face.

“Actually our oldest brother did. Gabriel threatened to torch his name onto Michael’s car.” He said, causing Jo to laugh and Dean’s smile to come back.

“What did he do, throw it off a roof?” he asked.

“Ran it over.” Castiel replied, chuckling at the memory.

The other two both laughed harder.

“You were around for that? You could have saved my welding torch?” Dean asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Careful Castiel, your grade could hinge on how you respond.” Jo warned him, incredibly amused.

“Gabriel burned my books before he even thought of touching Michael’s car. I apologize but I might have laughed… quite a bit… when Michael ran over the torch.” Castiel said, grinning.

Dean couldn’t help himself, laughing again.

“All right I forgive you. It’s nice to meet you, Castiel.” He said, reaching out a hand to shake his. 

Castiel flushed but tried to hide it as he shook his hand.

“You too… as well. Mr. Win… Dean.” he stumbled over his words, causing Jo to smirk at him.

Dean didn’t notice glancing at the car behind him as he stood. Castiel did as well, sensing that they were getting down to business. 

“Tell me about this beauty.” He said, patting the car.

“It’s a 1966 Chevy Chevelle.” Castiel answered nervously, twisting his hands.

Dean grinned over at him, his eyes sparkling.

“You managed to get the best car in here… except for my baby of course.” He said, nodding at him.

“Your… baby?” Castiel questioned.

Dean nodded, his face lighting up even more. 

“C’mere.” Castiel followed him with a questioning look back at Jo, who nodded to encourage him. 

They approached the black car and he remembered the earlier warning, keeping his distance. Dean looked back and chuckled, reaching down to lift the hood.

“If you have my permission, you can come over her.” he assured Castiel.

He walked over and looked down at the engine that sat in the hood of the car.

“This is my baby. 1967 Chevy Impala. If you’re really awesome, you’ll be able to make yours look like this but it’ll take a lot of effort. I put a lot of time into her and I make sure she’s always running smooth.” Dean explained, leaning forward to tighten a lid on something.

“I know nothing about cars.” Castiel said, suddenly panicking as he realized that auto shop was the last thing he should have taken considering that the inside of Dean’s car looked like a jumbled puzzle that he would never be able to figure out.

Dean glanced up at him with a grin.

“That’s the point of auto shop. By the time I’m done with you, you’ll know more than anyone except for me of course.” He said, straightening up and closing his hood. 

He reached out and patted Castiel on the shoulder.

“You’ll do great, Castiel. I’ll make sure of it even if it kills the both of us.” He assured Castiel as goosebumps spreaded through his body.

The dark-haired teenager watched as Dean walked away towards the other students, cursing that he chose this moment to start finding others attractive as well as the fact that the one he found attractive was his auto shop teacher.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel comes to a revelation and gets in a bad situation.

“How was your first day?” Rebecca asked as Castiel walked into the house.

“Strange.” he commented, moving towards the stairs.

“Well I want to hear about it!” She argued.

Castiel walked up the stairs, his bag hanging limply from his hand and thumping against them.

“Let me process the day and I’ll tell you about it at dinner.” He sighed, turning the corner and going up higher towards his bedroom.

When he closed the door, he immediately charged for his bed and fell onto it face first. This wasn’t supposed to happen. He was supposed to hate his elective classes. Art and theater were still up in the air but there was no way he was going to hate auto shop with Jo in there with him and the best looking face in the school standing in front of him all greasy and sweaty and gorgeous. A knock sounded on his door and he ignored it, intent on trying focus on his frustration over the classes he was being forced to take rather than on his pleasure at his new teacher.  
“Castiel?” Anna’s voice floated through the door and he sighed.

“What is it?” he asked, lifting his head to talk so his voice wouldn’t be muffled by his mattress.

“Mom sent me up to talk to you. Is everything all right?” she asked.

Castiel stood, crossing to the door and pulling it open.

“I’m fine.” He sighed. “Just the first day back… I’m tired.”

She looked at him doubtfully as she pulled her long red hair up into a ponytail.

“Are you sure?”

He nodded before perking up.

“Did you go to school with Dean Winchester?”

Anna nodded, furrowing her brow at him as she leaned on his doorframe.

“He dated a girl that I was friends with. Why do you ask?” she asked.

Castiel’s heart sank for some reason at the first sentence she said.

“He’s my auto shop teacher. He heard my name and said that he went to school with you.” he said, stepping aside for her to step into the room.

Anna sat on his bed across from him.

“He was pretty well-liked as far as I remember, him and his brother. Does he still drive that black car?” she asked, smiling slightly.

“The ’67 Impala, yeah.” Castiel nodded, picking up a pillow to mess with. “He had it in the shop today. He threatened to cut off our fingers if we went anywhere near it.”

She laughed and nodded, folding her hands over her crossed legs.

“That sounds about right. He was always so protective over the car because his dad gave it to him. I don’t even think he would make out with Lisa in the car for fear that they would mess up his upholstery.”

Castiel frowned at her at the mention of the name.

“Lisa?” he asked.

“Yeah, Lisa Braedon. I think she still lives somewhere in town.”

“She’s the school counselor. She’s the one who told me to take shop. She told me that I would love it.” Castiel said thoughtfully, staring off at the wall past his sister.

“Oh that’s awkward.” Anna said, grimacing.

“Why?” he questioned, focusing on her as he was even more confused.

She considered her words carefully.

“I probably shouldn’t be telling you this. He’s your teacher. Oh well, promise you won’t tell anyone.”

“Who would I tell, Anna? Honestly no one cares about six-year-old gossip.” Castiel sighed.

She shrugged and glanced at her hands before looking back up at him.

“They broke up in senior year, two weeks before graduation actually. It turns out that Lisa had a drunken one-night stand with a biker driving through town that she met at The Roadhouse. She was pregnant. When she told Dean about it, he flipped. Apparently they hadn’t had sex in a while so the baby couldn’t have been his. It’s just weird that they’re both working at the high school after all of that. It was the biggest drama that happened in all my four years of high school. They got into a screaming fight at graduation. I was calming Lisa down for three hours after that. As far as I knew, they never talked again.”

Anna glanced up at Castiel as if she’d just realized all that she said to him.

“You really can’t tell anyone, Castiel. I don’t want to be the reason that old wounds are reopened.” She said pleadingly.

“I’ll keep my mouth shut.” He nodded reassuringly.

Anna sighed and reached out, taking his hand.

“Dean was a great guy when I knew him and he knew so much about cars. I’m positive he’ll be a great teacher. You’re lucky, Castiel. He might even teach you a few things outside of science and medical school and reading.”

Castiel glowered at her.

“I don’t need to be taught anything outside of it. I just need to get a good grade so that I can maintain my perfect GPA.” He argued stubbornly.

She smiled slightly, reaching out to mess with his hair.

\-----------

Castiel sighed as he plopped down into the chair next to Charlie, looking up at the theater teacher with focused attention.

“All right here is how the breakdown of the year will go. We have three major productions and each of you have certain roles to play. This isn’t just about memorizing some lines and spitting them out.” Miss Talbot said, pacing back and forth on the stage in her sky-high heels. “You are required to act in a part in one of the plays and you must work in the crew for another play. For the third play, you can choose which you would rather do. I won’t interfere unless there are too many wishing to be on the cast or vice versa.”

Charlie raised her hand high in the air.

“Yes, Miss Bradbury?” the teacher said, pointing at her.

“Will you be assigning our roles in the crew or can we choose?” she asked.

“As long as it doesn’t get chaotic or dramatic, you may choose your job in the crew. This is theater but I have no tolerance for dramatics. There will be no personal spats coming onto my stage or even into my backstage. Leave your personal stuff at the door or don’t come in at all. Now, let’s discuss _Much Ado About Nothing_ since it will be the first play we perform. Who has read it before?”

Half of the class, including Castiel, raised their hands. Miss Talbot smiled and nodded.

“That’s good, more than I expected. You’re all to read it again. If you haven’t read it, go find a copy in the library and read it. I’ll have scripts available next week as well as the list of people who are going to be on the cast and those who are going to be on the crew. I will give you a quick summary of the story so that you can begin thinking about which characters you would like to play.”

Castiel sighed and settled back against his seat as Charlie grinned over at him.

“This is so much better than shop, right?”

He gave her a wide smile but as soon as she turned away, it faded. This was definitely not better than shop.

\-----------

Jo bounced into the building with him following, immediately going over to Dean’s desk where he was leaning over it writing furiously on a paper. His face was screwed up in concentration and he kept glancing at his phone. Castiel felt like he was invading Dean’s privacy merely by watching so he strode over to his project, ignoring Meg’s attempts to get his attention as he did so. Jo bent over with Dean, asking him something quietly. He nodded at what she said, frowning slightly before folding the paper and sliding it into an envelope along with another piece of paper that looked like a check. Cas watched them for a moment but when Dean looked up to glance around at them, he looked away, noticing that the Impala wasn’t in the garage that day. After a minute, Jo came over and sat across from him in her car’s seat.

“Is everything all right?” he asked, looking over at their teacher who was sticking the envelope in his jacket that was hanging on the back of the desk chair.

“Yeah.” Jo said simply but he could hear something behind her voice that made him think that she wasn’t being entirely truthful.

He didn’t say anything else and at that moment, Dean clapped his hands loudly to call attention to him. His previously troubled look was replaced with the same open, friendly look but Castiel could see the shadow of his stress still in his eyes.

“Today you will be learning the parts of a car engine. You’ll find a book on the ground next to your cars. In chapter three there is a diagram. Study it, learn it, there will be a quiz. I’m not letting you touch these cars until you know how they work. If you think you know it well enough, open up your car’s hood and look in to see what you have and don’t have. Tomorrow you’ll individually look through the car parts that I have to find the stuff you need.” Dean announced. “Get started. You can talk but if I see anyone not at least glancing at the book every few minutes, I’ll have to fix that.”

Everyone picked up their books and began flipping through the pages. Castiel did his with relief, happy that he knew how to study out of a book even if he didn’t know the difference between an air filter and a carburetor.

“Try to limit your excitement about studying, Castiel. You look like a nerd.” Jo said, amusement clear in her voice.

“I am a nerd.” He replied dryly, looking down at the diagram as soon as he found it.

She laughed and moved over to sit in his passenger’s seat. They propped their legs up on the dashboard since Castiel didn’t have a steering wheel and leaned back, both studying and talking every once in a while.

“You already know all of this, don’t you?” Castiel asked, glancing over at the tiny blonde.

“I’ve been watching John, Dean, and Bobby fixing cars since I was little.” Jo answered without thinking.

“John?” he questioned.

Jo’s face paled slightly and she glanced up at Dean who was across the room watching everyone study as if he might have heard her say something horrible.

“Dean’s dad.” She said shortly.

“Oh he’s a mechanic as well?” Castiel asked, not entirely sure why he was interested.

She looked up at him with wide eyes.

“Don’t talk about him in here… or anywhere near Dean. As far as you’re concerned, you’ve never heard the name.”

Castiel was taken aback. Jo never talked to him with such a hard edge to her voice. She was always kind, especially to him since they’d been friends for a long time.

“Understood.” He said simply, turning his attention back to the book.

Jo looked like she wanted to say something else but thought better of it and turned to look at her book as well. They didn’t speak again throughout the class, both of them silently studying the diagrams of the engine.

\-----------

Class ended without Dean coming over to them because he had to lecture Meg and Gordon on talking too much rather than studying several times. Castiel walked out feeling a strange sense of disappointment as he strode to his locker. Jo was still silent, cursing herself for mentioning something to Castiel that she shouldn’t have. When he reached his locker, Castiel shouldered his bag and began shoving books into it.

“You cannot have that much homework.” Jo finally said, watching him with a raised eyebrow.

“Some people don’t put off their homework until the morning of.” He replied, smirking up at her.

She grinned and he relaxed, knowing they were back to normal.

“See you later, nerd.” She said affectionately, reaching up and ruffling his already messy hair before turning to walk down the hallway to her locker.

Castiel turned to walk out the doors. He was relieved that it was his day to have the car since he really didn’t want to have to deal with Gabriel throwing all sorts of random comments at him. He happened to glance over at the teacher’s parking lot and saw Dean striding towards it looking down at his phone. Something white was fluttering away from him and Castiel immediately recognized it as the envelope from earlier. Dean didn’t notice and continued walking away. He made the decision immediately, darting over and picking up the envelope before it could blow away in the wind.

“Mr. Winche… erm… Dean!” he called, causing the man to turn around with a surprised look.

Castiel hesitated before moving towards him, holding out the envelope.

“You dropped this.” he said, looking down at the ground for a moment before glancing up into Dean’s bright green eyes as he neared him.

Dean looked down at the envelope and relief took over his expression. Castiel glanced down as he reached out to take it, barely able to make out the name ‘Sam Winchester’ before the teacher took it from him. Their fingers brushed and Castiel tried to pretend like it didn’t make his skin tingle.

“Thanks Cas.” He sighed, tucking it into his jacket again.

Castiel stopped short from where he was turning away. He could feel his cheeks turning pink as he glanced up at the teacher with a furrowed brow.

“Cas?” he questioned.

Dean looked back at him.

“Sorry, I automatically nickname sometimes and your name is a mouthful. If you don’t like it…”

“No I do.” Castiel said quickly, taking himself by surprise. “No one’s ever called me that.”

He definitely liked it a lot more than Cassie.

Dean smiled down at him before glancing over his clothes.

“Dude, you seriously need to come wearing different clothes. I don’t care if you change before class but once we actually start working with the cars you are going to get oil and grease and dirt all over you.” he said, his eyes traveling down his figure.

Castiel blushed deeper under his careful inspection of his clothing.

“I’ll try to remember tomorrow.” He mumbled, his words coming out quieter than he meant them to.

Dean glanced back up at his face and grinned a full-blown smile, his eyes lighting up like they hadn’t throughout the entire class.

“Not that I don’t like those but… I’d hate to see them ruined. You might be the only person at this school that I’ve seen be able to pull off those clothes.”

Castiel’s mind went blank. Was his teacher flirting with him? Did he only want Dean to be flirting with him? Did he flirt back?

“You should see me in a suit.” The words fell out of his mouth before he could help it and his eyes widened as he cursed his awkward reply.

Dean backed away a step, still grinning.

“Can’t wait.” He said, winking at him before turning away to walk to the parking lot.

Castiel stood still, shocked at Dean’s reply.

“See you tomorrow, Cas!” he called over his shoulder.

“See you tomorrow… Dean.” He replied, not knowing if he heard him.

\-----------

Dean shook his head as he climbed into his Impala’s driver’s seat. He remained still for a moment, wondering what the hell he just did and why he did it. His hands gripped the steering wheel and he took a deep breath, shaking his head again. The youngest Novak was friendlier than he was told he would be. Lisa warned him, telling him that the top-of-the-class hard-working student wasn’t thrilled to be in his class and that might come out in his attitude. He certainly didn’t expect to find that the teenager was actually quite friendly.

_Once he sent the kids off to find their cars, he couldn’t keep the big blue eyes that he got a glimpse of out of his mind. He glanced over and saw that Jo picked the old Corvette. Standing next to the Chevelle, the car that Dean himself couldn’t wait to see restored, was the shock of dark hair that went with the blue eyes. He shook his head, telling the students to get started on their research. Dean crossed to the air conditioning, suddenly feeling too hot in the large garage as he turned it down to switch the fan on. After a few minutes of watching the others, he saw Jo and the dark-haired teenager staring at each other with bored expressions._

_He couldn’t help it as his feet carried him across the garage. He meant to talk to the other kid but before he knew it, he was squatting between the cars and talking to Jo. She told him about her mom before she seemed to remember that he didn’t know her friend._

_“This is my friend, Castiel.” She announced, pointing at him._

_Dean took a deep breath before turning around to smile at the dark-haired male._

_“Castiel what?” he asked despite the fact that he knew._

_The teenager didn’t answer and for a moment Dean wondered if Lisa was right. He finally answered in a deep gravelly voice that didn’t belong on a teenage boy and Dean was taken aback before he nodded with recognition. Castiel informed him that he taught his brother and Dean remembered Gabriel._

_“That little asshole destroyed my welding torch.” He said before he could help it._

_Castiel grinned at him, suddenly looking comfortable and Dean was relieved. Because if the person with such beautiful eyes ended up being another entitled dick that he had to deal with, he would be very disappointed. Dean shook himself out of it, telling himself that he couldn’t think that about a student before continuing the conversation. When he shook the other male’s hand, he didn’t miss the redness in his cheeks and Dean noted it, wondering what the reasoning was for it._

Dean inhaled deeply, trying to keep his mind off of Castiel but he couldn’t help it. He hadn’t meant to nickname the kid and he certainly hadn’t meant to flirt with him. Sometimes it was impulse for him but he was remarkably good at keeping it away from the high school kids that paraded themselves in front of him, both male and female. But then again, it wasn’t really fair to put Castiel on the same level as the others. He didn’t act like a kid and he certainly didn’t talk like one. The sound of his phone ringing interrupted his thoughts and he dug it out of his pocket before answering it.

“I’m on my way to the post office to drop it off. You should get it by tomorrow.” He answered the question as soon as he answered.

The voice on the other end spoke and he clenched his jaw, shaking his head.

“No, I haven’t heard from him.” he said.

“That’s going on six months, Dean.” Sam said, sounding slightly concerned and even more pissed at their father for disappearing without a word.

“What do you want me to do, Sam? He made it pretty clear about our relationship last time we spoke so I’m not too eager to seek out the guy.” Dean snapped back.

Sam sighed and Dean could imagine the conflicted look on his face.

“I might have a friend of a friend who can try to find him.” he suggested.

“Don’t bother, Sam. He’ll come back when he runs out of money.” Dean said, shaking his head. “He always does.”

\-----------

“What are you studying, Castiel? Environmental science?” His mother asked, glancing over at him as he stared down at the book intently. “Calculus?”

He didn’t look up at her, reaching out to take a bite of the chips that he was eating.

“The parts of a car engine.” He replied once he swallowed.

There was a clatter and he looked up to see his mother looking at him with a shocked expression.

“I’m surprised, Castiel. I honestly thought that you might rebel against the idea of studying for your electives for at least the first month of classes.”

“I have a perfect GPA, Mother. I can’t afford to put that in jeopardy just because I’m being forced to take electives.” He said as if it was obvious.

“Oh I know. I just didn’t know if you would realize that.” she said, smiling at him. “So you don’t hate your car class?”

“It’s not as bad as it could be.” Castiel said, smiling slightly as he remembered his conversation with his teacher in the parking lot.

“Uh oh… I know that look.” Rebecca said, leaning over the counter towards him.

“What look?” he asked, frowning at her.

“That’s the dreamy I-like-someone look. Who is it?” she asked eagerly, looking thrilled.

Castiel sighed and shook his head.

“I had no such look.” he refused.

“You can’t fool me, Castiel James Novak. I know the look when I see the look. But if you want to keep it a secret then…”

“Mom what if I’m gay?” he interrupted her, once again saying the words without thinking about them.

Rebecca froze and stared at him with wide eyes as she processed what he said.

“Castiel, honey…” she sighed, moving forward to put her hand over his. “You know we don’t care. Luke already beat you to the shocking reveal and Gabriel has a flexible attraction to both genders.”

Castiel nodded, unsure of why he was even talking about it with her. He hadn’t even really thought about it but apparently his subconscious already knew something was going on.

“Did you really think that we would care, Castiel?” she asked, squeezing his hand gently.  
“No I just… I don’t really know. It’s very…”

“Confusing?” Rebecca guessed.

“Complicated.” He corrected her.

She smiled and leaned in, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

“You want to know a secret? It usually is. Especially with relationships in this family. You want to know how my parents met?”

She sat next to him and he pushed his book aside so that they could talk.

“How?” he asked curiously.

“My father was a professor and my mother was going to school there. They couldn’t deny their attraction to one another. They tried out a relationship and ended up being married for sixty-three years. That doesn’t mean that they didn’t have their share of up and downs, every couple does.”

Castiel’s eyes widened and he pressed his lips together.

“There was nothing wrong with that to anyone? Them being attracted to each other despite his position as her professor?” he asked.

“There were a few people who tried to punish them for it but they loved each other. It didn’t matter. I certainly don’t think any less of them for it. You can’t help where you find love, Castiel. Sometimes it happens without your permission but you just have to let it happen. But don’t think that I’m encouraging you to find the person you’ll spend the rest of your life with at seventeen. You never know what’s going to happen five or ten years down the road. If you truly like this boy, take him out on a date, go to the movies or to a dinner together. Don’t devote yourself to him. Just have fun.”

Castiel frowned at her.

“I don’t do anything like that, Mother. Why would I start now?” he asked, squinting.

Rebecca laughed and leaned forward, kissing his forehead.

“Because you can act like a teenager sometimes rather than a thirty-year-old man, believe it or not. No one will judge you for it.”

Castiel grimaced and shook his head.

“I prefer to be set apart from my peers in that way.” he decided, turning back to his books that were spread across the table.

He glanced up at the mechanic guide and reached for it. His mind flashed with Dean’s grin at him and he sighed heavily, slamming it shut before pulling his Calculus book towards him.

\-----------

 “Oh my God!” Jo screeched, looking at him with wide eyes as he stared back down at her.

“Please control the level of your voice.” He requested, not wanting the entire school to hear what they were talking about.

“But… oh my God!’ she exclaimed, reaching out to grasp his arm.

“Yes I know. It’s rather inconvenient.” He sighed, turning to shove his books into his locker.

Jo let out a squeal and hopped a few times.

“I can’t believe it! You finally… I mean you said… Castiel!” she shook him and he turned back to her with an exasperated look. “You’re gay!”

“Yes I know, I’m the one who informed you of that fact.” He said in a quiet voice, wondering if his sexual preference would be spread all over school by the end of the day thanks to Jo’s inability to keep her excitement under control.

The small blonde squealed again and hooked her arm through his, dragging him down the hallway towards his first class.

“Can I tell Charlie? She’ll be thrilled. She’ll probably want you to come to the LGBT group that meets at the community center on Saturdays. Can I tell Pamela? She’ll probably know all about how you have sex because she seems to know everything to do with it. Ooh can I tell…”

“Jo!” Castiel stopped her and stared straight into her eyes. “I’ve only told my mother and you. I don’t exactly want this revelation to be spread around the entire time before I can at least tell the rest of my family. Please keep it to yourself.”

The blonde looked like she was about to burst but she nodded, squeezing his hand as she took it.

“I’m just so happy for you, Castiel! Maybe now you’ll actually let Balthazar take you out.”

He rolled his eyes and turned to walk again.

“Hell would freeze over before I accept a date from him.”

\-----------

The next week and half went by without incident. Dean was busy running around with everyone else and helping them choose the parts that they needed for their cars so Castiel didn’t have to hide his attraction to his teacher because he wasn’t near him all that much. He managed to keep his newfound revelation under wraps until the next Saturday when his family was all sitting down to have dinner.

“Castiel?” Rebecca said as they were all eating.

He looked up and saw an encouraging look in her eyes. He sighed heavily and set down his fork, glancing around at his family who were all looking up.

“Castiel has something he needs to tell you.” Rebecca said.

Everyone exchanged looks and looked back at Castiel, whose heart was thundering as he worked up the nerve to tell them.

“He’s gay.” Michael, Lucifer, Anna, and Gabriel all said at once.

Chuck choked out a laugh as Castiel’s eyes widened and Rebecca looked taken aback.

“How did you…” Castiel trailed off, unable to finish his question.

“You have never shown interest in a woman but I have seen you glance at males more than a few times.” Michael offered up.

“I just sensed it.” Anna said, smiling softly.

“We showed you porn a few years ago and you didn’t have any reaction to it… at all.” Gabriel and Lucifer said at the same time.

Rebecca and Charles looked at the two devious siblings with shock as Castiel flushed a deep red at the memory. He didn’t speak to his brothers for a while after they sat him down and made him watch the awkward and horribly made video. He watched as his mother lectured the two before pulling out his phone.  
“May I be excused?” he asked politely and quietly.

His parents nodded at him, both looking at him sympathetically since they knew that this wasn’t how he wanted to reveal the news. He slid away from the table and began dialing the number.

“I need a night away from home.” he said as soon as Jo picked up.

“I’m at my mom’s restaurant! Come over here!” she said, sounding thrilled.

“It’s Saturday night, is it not crazy?” he asked, confused.

“Yeah but you’ll love it! Come on!”

He sighed and agreed before hanging up. After a moment of consideration, Castiel picked up the keys off of his desk and left his room, jogging down the stairs before peeking into the kitchen where everyone was cleaning up.

“I’m going out to see Jo if that’s all right.” he said, looking at his parents.

“All right. Be back by midnight.” Rebecca said, smiling up at him.

“Don’t be late.” Luke said, smirking at him.

“Be safe.” Anna said, a teasing glint in her eyes.

“Don’t hook up with a stranger in a bar bathroom without at least using protection.” Gabriel said, ducking his mother’s hand as she tried to swat his head.

Castiel glared at them all before turning to walk out of the house. He headed straight for the bar, surprisingly enough never having been there even though he knew where it was. The parking lot was quite full when he pulled in and he glowered at his phone, wondering why Jo insisted that he come there instead of meeting at a less crowded place that was sure to be filled with drunks. He climbed out of the car and locked it before walked up to the door and opening it. Sure enough, it was loud inside and filled with rowdy men and women. He squeezed past the crowd of people and headed for the bar where he saw a flash of blonde hair. Jo grinned up at him as she handed a plate of nachos across the table to a couple who were both on their third beer.

“What do you think?” she said, gesturing around.

“This isn’t what I had in mind when I said that I wanted to have a night away from home.” he said, narrowing his eyes at her.

She rolled her eyes and turned, pulling two beers out from a cooler under the counter, popping the tops off with an opener that was in her apron. Castiel was shocked when she shoved them into his hands.

“Take those to the party by the pool table in the corner.” She instructed.

“I’m not serving beer at your mom’s restaurant!” he argued.

“You’ll get paid.” She said, raising her eyebrows at him.

“Maybe I should get a say in that.” Ellen said, coming up behind Jo with a stern expression.

“Hi Mrs. Harvelle.” Castiel said, feeling awkward standing there with two beers.

“You gonna drink anything, Castiel?” Ellen asked.

“No ma’am, I don’t drink alcohol.” He replied.

“Good answer. I’ll give you seventy-five for the night if you deliver drinks and food.”

Castiel looked between the Harvelle women with wide eyes as Jo grinned at him.

“Well? Get your ass in gear!” Ellen instructed before turning to walk off.

He turned to walk off, moving to the pool table and handing the beers to the two men who were playing each other.

“Onion rings!” One of them said simply.

Castiel stared at him for a moment before hurrying back to the bar.

“Onion rings?” he asked Jo with uncertainty.

“Tell Ash.” She said, pointing at the window to the kitchen where Ash was placing food orders.

Castiel moved around the counter and walked to the window.

“Hey Castiel!” Ash said happily, grinning at him.

“I, uh… I need onion rings.” He said.

“You running orders tonight? Great!” Ash said, shoving two plates of burgers into his hands.

“Back there in the corner below the Royals flag.” He said, pointing.

Castiel sighed and turned to walk off. He kept his head down as he moved through the crowd, careful not to drop the plates as he neared the table. He inspected the plates and memorized the order before glancing up at the two men waiting. He almost dropped the plates when he saw them. They were looking at each other and were deep in conversation so they hadn’t noticed him yet since he was still a few feet away from the table. Dean looked serious and Castiel hesitated before stepping forward slowly.

“Um…” he winced as his voice was too quiet to be heard over the loud noise of the restaurant.

He stepped forward another step, still not gaining their attention.

“I have your food?” he said with uncertainty, his voice louder this time.

Dean’s head snapped up and his eyes widened when he saw Castiel. The other, older man studied him with narrowed eyes.

“Cas! Hey!” the auto shop teacher said, grinning at him.

“Hi Dean.” He said smiling nervously as he moved forward.

He glanced at the other man and saw that his gruff face relaxed a little bit.

“I have two bacon cheeseburgers, one with onions and one without.” He informed them.

“Mine’s got onions.” Dean said.

Castiel nodded and carefully reached out, setting the plate in front of him as his heart thumped in his chest. He put the other in front of the older man and stepped back.

“Oh Cas… this is Bobby. Bobby this is Castiel, one of the kids in my shop class.” Dean explained, introducing them.

Castiel’s heart sank a little at Dean describing him as ‘one of the kids’ but he smiled at the other man.

“It’s nice to meet you, sir.” He said politely, raising his voice so that it could be heard above the crowd.

“You’re awful proper, aren’t you son?” Bobby said, looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

“I try.” Castiel said simply as Dean shook with laughter.

“Stop bothering him, Bobby. So you running orders tonight?” he said.

Castiel nodded slowly, staring at him.

“Not exactly willing, though. I was… volunteered.”

Dean and Bobby both laughed this time.

“Ellen has a tendency to do that. I’ve been stuck bartending more than a few times in my life.” the younger man said.

Castiel nodded and heard Ash shout that an order of onion rings were ready.

“That’s my cue.” He said, backing away and almost bumping into someone.

“Have a good time.” Dean said, smirking.

Castiel nodded, waving before turning to dart off, weaving through the crowd as his cheeks burned.

\-----------

After an hour of serving the restaurant and not seeing Dean or Bobby again, Castiel was overwhelmed. He ducked out of the restaurant into the cool night air, letting out a sigh and leaning his body back against the wall. He heard the door open and close and footsteps coming out of the restaurant.

“You all right?”

Castiel’s head snapped up and he saw Dean looking at him.

“I’m fine. I just needed a break.” He said, his heart picking up speed again as he cursed his automatic reaction to the other male’s presence.

“I understand that.” Dean nodded, moving to stand next to him, leaning back against the wall as well.

Castiel immediately inhaled on instinct, getting a scent of whiskey, aftershave, and an earthy smell that he knew was coming from the man next to him.

“So Jo told me you had to get out of your house. Everything all right there?” he asked.

Castiel’s eyes widened and he looked over at him.

“Everything’s fine. Just my siblings being annoying. I had something very important to tell them tonight and it turns out they already knew and were fine with it. It was just kind of disappointing.” He said, not sure why he was actually admitting it to him.

“Well I don’t know what this important thing was but trust me, they could have reacted way worse.” Dean assured him.

Castiel studied him and frowned, remembering the serious expression on Dean’s face as well as the haunted look in his eyes that he’d seen earlier.

“How about you?” he asked.

Dean looked up at him with confusion.

“You looked unhappy earlier when I brought you the food. Just like you looked the second day of class in the garage.” Castiel said, immediately regretting it when he realized that he just admitted to noticing when Dean was upset.

Dean stared at him for a moment.

“Just family shit, kind of like you.”

Castiel wondered if it was the same ‘family shit’ that caused Jo to freak out when she accidentally brought up Dean’s father.

“I should be getting home. Ellen offered me to pay me for the night but I’m not exactly cut out for this atmosphere.” Castiel said, glancing up at the building. “Perhaps I should try serving at a coffee shop before I move onto a bar slash restaurant.”

Dean laughed and reached out, patting him on the shoulder. Warm shivers went through his body and he grinned at his teacher.

“I’ll tell Ellen you left.” He said, turning back to the door.

“Thank you.” Castiel said, pulling out his keys as he drifted towards the car.

He climbed in and stuck the keys in the ignition. When he turned them, his car let out a few stuttering noises before stopping. Castiel huffed out a sigh, trying it again only to get the same reaction from the old junker.

“You have got to be… seriously?” he said, looking up at the ceiling of the car as if someone would explain why the damn thing failed him every other week. “How am I supposed to get this… oh.”

He looked up at the restaurant, remembering exactly who was in there that could help him.

“Seriously?” Castiel snapped louder, shoving his way out of the car and slamming the door shut before stomping his way back to the restaurant.

He got in there and began slipping through the bodies once more as he kept an eye out for Dean. Suddenly someone grasped his arm and whirled him around. He instantly smelled the overwhelming scent of alcohol on breath as the man grinned down at him, his eyes half lidded.

“Hey there, pretty boy.” He said, moving in closer to Cas’s personal space. “How about you and I go back behind this building and…”

Suddenly he was ripped backwards and tossed to the floor. Castiel stumbled backwards as he processed what just happened. Jo appeared at his side looking on with wide eyes as Dean slammed his fist into the drunk, perverted man’s face.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean helps Castiel fix his car. Castiel lets something slip that he never expected to tell the older male. Dean gets a troubling call.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to let you know, the chapters will be a little shorter from now on.

Castiel heard someone saying his name but he could barely pay attention. He watched with a sort of tunnel vision, only able to see Dean haul the man up by his collar as if it was no problem at all. The mechanic/teacher yanked him towards the door, his teeth gritted angrily and his face slightly red.

“Castiel!” Jo said, shaking his arm insistently.

He finally looked over at her, his eyes still wide.

“Are you okay? Did that guy hurt you?”

Castiel shook his head.

“I’m fine. He just grabbed me and said some things. Dean got to him pretty fast.” He said, glancing over his shoulder to see the door slamming shut.

Ellen followed them, most likely making sure that Dean didn’t kill the guy.

“Come here.” Jo said, pulling him behind the bar and handing him a glass of water.

He didn’t realize that he was shaking slightly until he started drinking.

“Dean told us you were leaving. Why’d you come back in?” she asked over the loud noise of the crowd that started up again.

“I had to get his help. My car won’t start.” He answered.

“Again?” she sighed, shaking her head.

He shrugged and leaned against the counter as he drank the water slowly.

“Cas.” He turned as soon as he heard the voice and saw Dean standing there looking calmed down and concerned.

Ellen was directly behind him looking at Castiel as well.

“Are you okay?” Dean questioned, looking him over.

“I’m all right. Thank you, that man was far too close for comfort.” He said gratefully, putting the water glass down.

“He was more than just a little too close.” Dean said, stepping closer. “Why did you come back in? I thought you were leaving.”

He flushed, embarrassed now that he had to ask Dean for help especially since he’d just helped him.

“I needed to find you.” Castiel explained. “My car isn’t starting and I need your help.”

The mechanic stared at him for a moment before huffing out a laugh and shaking his head.

“C’mon, Cas. Let’s go take a look.” he said, gesturing to the parking lot.

Castiel waved goodbye to Jo, who looked shocked at something, before following Dean through the crowd to the door. The whole way, the older male was looking around with a threatening look, as if daring anyone to mess with Castiel again. No one would bother again, having seen the state of the man’s bleeding face when he dared to touch the teenager. When they stepped out into the cool night air, Dean looked over at Castiel. He ducked his head, walking towards his car with Dean following him, not wanting to show that he was flushing in the overhead lights of the parking lot. When they got to the junker, Dean stepped forward and held his hand out for the keys. He handed them over and he reached in, starting the car only to get the same result. He got back out and opened the hood of the car, peering in.

“Any ideas?” Castiel asked, putting his hands in the pockets of his pants.

Dean looked up at him and nodded, carefully backing away from the car so that he wouldn’t hit his head.

“You need a new car.” He said with utter seriousness.

Castiel blanked and his eyes widened.

“It-it’s dead?” he asked, sorting through how he would tell his parents and Gabriel that the car was dead.

Would they make him walk across town to the school? Would Gabriel be angry with him? Would he have to ensure that he did perfectly on his car in auto shop only to give it to his older brother as penance for breaking the car?

Suddenly a smile broke across Dean’s face and he let out a chuckle, closing the hood.  
“I’m kidding, but in all seriousness, this car sucks. All you need is a new battery. Luckily for you, I have one in my car along with tools to change it. Sammy always used to kill his car battery in record time so I always carry one around.” he assured him.

Castiel sighed with relief.  
“Unfortunately my car is around the back of the restaurant so I have to pull it around.” Dean said, pulling out his own keys as he handed Castiel’s back to him.

“I’ll stay here while you go get it.” he nodded, stepping closer to the car.

Dean looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

“I’m not leaving a kid alone in the parking lot of a bar when you were already confronted by a drunk pervert already. You’re coming with me.” he corrected him, gesturing for him to follow.

Castiel frowned, tempted to refuse simply on the basis of Dean’s commanding tone.

“I’m not a kid.” He shot back as he followed him towards the restaurant.

He winced, hating how petulant he sounded when he said it in total opposition to the point he was trying to make. Dean laughed and Castiel flushed for an entirely different reason.

“You’re only seven years older than me, Dean.”

Dean turned and grinned at him, his own hands in his jacket pockets as he walked backwards.

“Cas my brother is three years older than you and I still call him a kid. You have no hope.” He teased.

Castiel huffed and sped up, stepping towards him faster as he drew himself up to his full, quite tall height. He wasn’t as tall as Dean but he wasn’t short either.

“I haven’t been a kid for a very long time. I am quite mature for my age and I have an intellect well beyond my peers. I would have graduated high school early were it not for my parents insisting on me having a normal high school experience as my brothers and sister did. I can name every bone in the human body as well as the muscles, parts of the brain, and the organs. I know where every pressure point is in the body and, if necessary, I can put a person through quite a bit of pain. If I’d had the time to process what was happening, I’d been able to take that perverted drunk man down with just a bit of pressure on his brachial and carotid points that would have him crumpled on the ground begging for mercy. I learned to do such things at ten years old when I was forced to deal with my quite active and physically intimidating older brothers.” He ranted, feeling particularly defensive and wanting to prove to the other man that he was not a kid.

For some reason, it was very important that he not seem childish to Dean. When he finally saw the surprise on Dean’s face, he realized everything that he’d said and who he said it to. His cheeks went even redder as he staggered in his steps.

“I am very sorry, Dean. That was inappropriate of me to talk to you that way.” he said, looking down at the ground.

He’d never ever talked to a teacher like that. He always gave them the respect that he felt was right but then again, Dean didn’t really feel like a teacher to him. He expected the older male to berate him and even leave him behind. He didn’t expect for Dean to laugh and slow down to walk in step with him.

“You really know all the bones in the body?”

Castiel looked up at him with wide eyes, nodding slowly in confirmation. Dean whistled as if he was impressed.

“You want to be a scientist or something?” he asked.

“I want to be a doctor, a surgeon. I want to be the youngest cardiothoracic surgeon to ever revolutionize a new surgical procedure as well as win a Lasker Award for contribution to medical science.” He admitted.

Dean looked at him with an impressed look.

“I don’t know what half of those things mean but its sounds pretty impressive, Cas.”

Castiel smiled slightly as they reached the Impala.

“In my family it’s hard to be impressive. Everyone has something amazing that they’ve done so it’s just a reputation that everyone in the Novak family has to live up to. Gabriel is the only one who refuses to live up because he just doesn’t want to.”

Dean shook his head.

“You’re already impressive, Cas.”

Castiel looked at him with wide eyes as he unlocked the Impala and opened the driver’s door before unlocking the rest of the doors. Dean made to get in but then glanced up at him.

“Well? What are you waiting for?” he said, gesturing to the passenger seat.

Castiel inhaled deeply, reaching for the handle as he remembered what Anna said. Dean was very protective of his car and only allowed a few people in.

_‘Quit standing here, Cas. He’s going to think you’re strange if he doesn’t already.’_

Castiel opened the door and slowly climbed in, settling back on the leather seat and closing the door before he realized that he’d called himself by Dean’s nickname for him. He shook his head before inhaling deeply, the smell of motor oil, whiskey, leather, and aftershave filling his senses. It smelled just like Dean on the rare occasions that he got close enough to identify the scent. Before they started moving, Dean leaned over and reached down towards Cas’s feet.

“What are you doing?” Castiel asked curiously, watching as he picked up a basket from the floorboard.

“Music.” Dean answered simply, grinning up at him before digging through the tapes.

“You have cassette tapes?” he questioned, raising his eyebrow.

Dean narrowed his eyes.

“A little lesson in your education, you don’t ruin pretty cars with new stereos. It sullies the original set up of the car and throws it all off balance. No CD players, no iPod hookups. You use tapes or you never get to claim to love your car like you should.” He lectured, popping a tape into the radio.

Castiel nodded with a fake solemnity on his face, not realizing that his entire body was turned towards Dean.

“Yes sir.” He replied, keeping the amusement out of his voice.

Dean shook his head, fighting a smile.

“And the sarcasm isn’t necessary.”

Castiel couldn’t help the smirk that turned one corner of his mouth up.

“This coming from the man who uses sarcasm in seventy percent of his conversations.” He said daringly.

Dean barked out a laugh, slapping the steering wheel as the music started and he backed out of the parking space.

“Touché.”

The sound of drumbeats and guitar riffs filled the car as Dean slowly pulled around the building.

“You know who this is?” he asked, trying to make conversation as he noticed Castiel tapping his fingers against his leg.

Cas looked down at his hand before glancing over at him.

“I don’t know the name of the band nor can I recall the name of the track. My brother, Luke, listens to classic rock quite often so I recognize the song.” He answered.

Dean nodded, smiling slightly.

“Kashmir, Led Zeppelin.” He informed Cas.

Castiel nodded as well, recognizing the name and committing it to memory.

“You wore a Led Zeppelin shirt last week.” He remembered.

Dean looked over at him with surprise as Castiel cursed himself for remembering and admitting to knowing the specific detail.

“Yeah, I wear old t-shirts a lot when I don’t want my better shirts to get ruined.” He said, pulling up to Cas’s car and stopping.

They climbed out and Dean walked around to the Impala trunk, opening it.

“My question is…” he said, digging through the car as Castiel walked around to watch him. “… how do you have a name like Castiel and a brother named Gabriel, but then another brother named Luke? Isn’t that a bit too normal?”

Castiel smiled, letting out a soft chuckle as Dean handed him a tool box.

“His name is Lucifer but we call him Luke.” He explained.

Dean pulled out a heavy car battery, turning to Cas with raised eyebrows.

“I agree that Luke is better.” He decided.

“That is how he feels. He’s insisted on being called by the shortened version of his name since he was quite yong.” Castiel said, watching as Dean opened the hood of his car again and set the battery on the ground.

He reached for the toolbox and set it on top of the engine. Castiel stood to the side, watching as he picked through the tools.

“What are you doing?” Dean asked, glancing up at him.

Castiel was taken aback by the question, shrugging.

“Staying out of the way?” he questioned with uncertainty.

“No sir. You’re learning this stuff and you’re going to watch and help out.” Dean said, jerking his head to beckon him over.

Castiel stumbled forward and held several tools that Dean handed him.

“This is the battery.” He said, pointing at the large black box with cables connected to it. “Sometimes you can just jump start it but we’ll go ahead and switch it out.”

“Is it difficult?” Cas questioned curiously.

“Nah it’s easy. I’m not rebuilding the engine or anything.” He said, shrugging.

Castiel glanced over at him as he worked on removing the battery, taking tools from his hands every once in a while.

“You’ve had to rebuild an engine before?”

Dean froze for a moment, his eyes fixed on the battery. He hesitated before nodding slowly.

“Yeah my Impala got messed up pretty bad.”

Castiel remained quiet for a moment, watching as he twisted the cables to remove them from the bad battery.

“I’m sorry.” He said quietly.

Dean looked up at him, taken aback by his apology.

“For what?” he asked, his voice as quiet as Castiel’s in the silent parking lot.

The younger male shrugged, taking the tool when he handed it off.

“Your car is very important to you, perhaps one of your most valued possessions and you’re protective of it. I can’t imagine that it was easy to see something that you are attached to damaged so badly.” He said, more than a hint of sadness in his voice as he looked down at the tools in his hands.

He felt Dean’s eyes on him but he couldn’t bring himself to look up at him.

“What about you?” the older male finally said.

Castiel glanced up with confusion.

“Oh I’ve never rebuilt an engine.” He said.

Dean shook his head with a slight smile.

“Sorry, back to the nicknames. You said you’d never had anyone call you Cas before. No one ever thought to shorten your name before?” he asked, turning back to the car battery.

Castiel was relieved at the change in subject, his shoulders losing their tension.

“I’ve been nicknamed before but Cas is the first one that I’ve actually liked.” He answered.

Dean looked up, switching out the tools again. Castiel tried not to shiver when his warm, calloused hand brushed against his own hand.

“What’s the nickname that you hate?” he asked.

Castiel huffed and rolled his eyes.

“Cassie. Everyone insists on calling me by that name. My friends, my family… everyone. They know that I dislike it but they won’t stop.” He said, frustration evident in his voice.

“I understand. People used to call me Dean-o and I hated it.” Dean nodded.

After a few moments, he looked up at Cas.

“Your girlfriend call you Cassie?” he asked.

Castiel’s head snapped up and his eyes were wide.

“I-I don’t… I don’t have a girlfriend.” He stammered.

Dean looked surprised.

“Oh, uh… sorry. I thought… I’ve seen you with a redhead at the school a lot.” He said, his cheeks turning pink as he removed the battery from the car and moved it to the ground, setting it down.

“That’s just Charlie.” Castiel said, shaking his head as Dean picked up the new battery.

He nodded and Cas glanced around, feeling awkward for some reason.

“She likes girls.” The words fell out of his mouth before he could help it.

Castiel turned red and his eyes widened. He was horrified with himself. He knew that Charlie wasn’t shy about her sexual orientation but he would hate it if someone else blurted it out so carelessly even if the whole world knew about it. Dean looked up at him with a surprised look.

“Oh, that’s… nice.” He said, not knowing what else to say.

Cas nodded, glancing around as Dean turned back to the car.

“So there aren’t any others you’ve got your eye on? I mean, I know there are bound to be some pretty girls around the school.” Dean said casually.

Castiel squinted at him.

“I wouldn’t know.” He said simply, once again not in control of his own words.

Dean nodded, no surprise on his face.

“Yeah I was warned about you. They told me that you would be very focused and possibly unhappy that you were stuck in my class. You turned out to be less angry than I thought.” Dean said. “I guess on your track to be the youngest cardiothoracic surgeon to win a Lasker you don’t really have time for girls, huh?”

Castiel was growing frustrated and angry at the way that Dean was talking about him like he was an emotionally stunted brat with an ego problem.

“No, I guess I don’t really have time for females at my school.” He snapped.

Dean looked up, surprised by the sudden hostility in his tone.

“Hey… I didn’t mean…”

“I’m too busy being attracted to men to really look twice at women. I’m sorry to disappoint.” He said, dropping the tools into the box.

Dean looked stunned and apologetic at the same time.

“Cas I…”

Castiel shook his head, cutting him off.

“Forget it.” He said, looking down as he felt himself calming and regretting what he said. “If this is too much trouble, just leave it and I’ll get my sister to pick me up. I can get it towed out of the parking lot tomorrow.”

Dean sighed and pulled the tools out of Castiel’s hands, dropping them in the box.

“I’m actually almost done.”

Castiel nodded, stepping away from the car and walking around it.

“Thank you for doing this. I’ll just wait in the car until you’re done. I think I’ve had enough education for today.”

He felt like he was being childish but he couldn’t bring himself to stay behind. He got into the car and slunk down into the seat as far as he could. Several minutes later, the hood thumped closed and he looked up to see Dean holding the toolbox and picking up the battery. The older male looked through the windshield and gave him thumbs up with one hand. Castiel stuck the keys into the ignition and turned them. The car started instantly and he sighed with relief, mostly for the ability to get out of the awkward situation that he found himself in.

Dean looked like he wanted to come around and say something but something stopped him. He hesitated, looking up at Castiel before he turned to his car and placed the dead car battery and the tools back in the trunk. Castiel watched every move, looking as he climbed into the driver’s seat of his car and shot him one last look before pulling out from in front of him. Cas shifted the car into drive, hesitating before pulling out and driving towards the exit of the parking lot.

\----------

Dean’s shoulders were hunched as he walked into the small apartment. He dropped his keys on the table and reached for the answering machine, pressing play.

“You have three new messages.” The automated voice announced.

He dropped onto the couch and bent over, rubbing his hands through his hair.

“Hey Dean, just wanted to tell you I got the check. Thanks for sending it. I know it’s not easy for you to do this and you know that I’m gonna pay you back one day.” Dean glanced over at the machine as his brother’s voice floated out of it. “Jess can’t wait to see you again. She really enjoys when we visit you or you visit us. I think we might come there for Thanksgiving and Christmas, if that’s all right. Jess’s parents are going on extended holiday to Europe with her dad’s retirement bonus. Let me know if that’s okay with you. I’ll talk to you later.”

Dean reached over as the message ended.

“To delete this message, press one. To save this mes… message saved. Next message.”

He leaned back again.

“Hello Mr. Winchester. This is the billing department at Lawrence Memorial Hospital. I just wanted to let you know that the next bill is due on the first of this next month. If you cannot pay the agreed upon amount, we suggest that you come in to renegotiate your payment plan. Call 785-505-2922 if you have any questions.”

“To dele… message deleted. Next message.”

Dean reached for the remote to turn on the TV when he froze at the next voice on the line.

“Hey Dean-o.”

His blood ran cold as he looked over at the machine.

“I, uh… I need you to come get me. I’m in some trouble.” John Winchester’s voice said over the line. “I’m in Kansas City… at the county jail. You may need to bring some bail money.”

Dean felt his heart drop and he stood, dropping the remote as he pulled out his phone and walked back towards the door.

“Hello?” Sam answered as he walked towards the parking lot.

“I know where Dad is. I’m going to get him.” he said simply.

“Oh… where is he?” his little brother asked warily.

“Kansas City… county jail.” Dean said, slamming his car door closed once he climbed into it.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel feels guilty and witnesses a surprise moment involving Dean that leads to a confession from the older man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews!

Castiel sighed as he sat in the living room with his knees drawn to his chest.

“Castiel?” Chuck said, entering the room and catching sight of him.

He looked up at his father.

“There you are.” He said, moving to sit beside him on the couch. “Gabriel said that you had car trouble yesterday when you were out with Jo. Do we need to take the car to Raphael’s garage?”

Castiel shook his head, his miserable mood flaring up at the reminder of his outburst in the parking lot of the Roadhouse.

“Someone fixed it for me. The battery of the car was dying and he had a replacement.” He answered.

Chuck nodded before sitting back and looking over at him.

“Are you going to tell me what’s wrong or am I going to have to start guessing?” he questioned.

Castiel set his jaw resolutely and stared forward, putting his chin on his knees.

“First of all, you are a little bit too tall to be sitting like that.” he informed his son.

He huffed and pulled his knees in even tighter.

“School problems? Friend problems? Sibling problems?” Chuck listed off.

Castiel didn’t reply, simply squinting over at his father.

“Boy problems?”

He narrowed his eyes and looked away.  
“Ah I knew it.” he said, sitting back proudly.  
“It’s the fourth thing you listed.” Castiel argued.

“And I knew I would get you to talk. So what’s going on? Is the boy you like with someone else? Is he straight? Is he an asshole?”

“Father!” Castiel sighed, looking over at him with an exasperated look.

“Is he teasing you? Because you know if the boy is making fun of you it means he likes you.”

“That’s not true.” Castiel said, turning to look at the wall. “If any teenage boy is teasing you, it means he’s a jerk who doesn’t know how to handle his own raging testosterone and uses it to torture others. Besides, he’s not a boy.”

Chuck looked taken aback.

“You’re a little too young for a man, aren’t you?”

He glared over at his father.

“I am eighteen in a little over a month and I have always been ahead of others my age. I am too mature for boys.” He fired back.

Chuck laughed and reached over, patting his shoulder.

“As long as you’re taking care of yourself, Castiel. I trust you to know what is best for you as long as you’re smart. I don’t want you getting yourself or anyone else in trouble for an infatuation.” He said before standing up.

Castiel watched as he walked away.

“Father?”

He looked down at him as Castiel straightened his legs out and sat up a little straighter.

“I’m afraid I don’t know the correct etiquette for apologizing to someone who is not family.” He admitted.

Chuck laughed and shook his head.  
“There’s no formula for it, Castiel. Just do what feels right.” he advised before walking out of the room.

\--------

“Thanks for doing this, Bobby.” Dean said, walking out of the house.

“I ain’t doing it for him.” the older man grumbled, fixing the hat on his head as he glanced over his shoulder. “I’m doing it for you.”

He sighed, turning back to face Bobby.

“I know. He just needs a place to stay and he lost his apartment when he ran off. I have the stuff in storage but until I find another place for him…” Dean trailed off, shaking his head.

“It isn’t your job to find him a place, Dean. Your daddy is an adult who needs to take care of his damn self.”

Dean shoved his hands in his pockets and looked down.

“I know it’ll be a lot of trouble but if you could try to keep alcohol out of your house. If he gets in trouble again, he’s going to jail. He was lucky enough to get off with a fine for the DUI. I’ll give you a nice bottle of top shelf for Christmas.” he promised.

Bobby shook his head.

“That isn’t what I’m worried about, Dean. This is going to be an endless cycle of you taking care of him and cleaning up his messes until he drinks himself to death. Something else needs to be done before you end up on the streets. Now I damn well know you can’t afford the fine so I’m giving you your Christmas bonus early…”

“No Bobby you can’t…” Dean began to argue.

“Shut up. You gotta let others take care of you sometimes, Dean. Now I’ll give you the check tomorrow when you get to work so don’t dilly dally with those kids too long after school.”

He nodded and backed away.

“Thanks.” He sighed.

“Just go home and get some sleep. You look like a damn zombie right now.” Bobby said, patting his shoulder before turning back to the house.

Before Dean turned to walk to the Impala, he saw the curtains lift from the front bedroom where his father was staying. He glanced at the window and saw his dad’s face peering out. He lifted a hand to wave goodbye but only saw the curtains falling before the outline of John Winchester turned away, his back facing Dean just like it always had.

_“Don’t give me that look.” John snapped as he stumbled into the Impala and sat in the leather seat._

_“I’m not giving you a look, Dad.” Dean sighed, starting up the car as a million thoughts raced through his head._

_He scoffed, shaking his head._

_“Like hell you aren’t. I raised you, Dean. I know what thoughts are going through your head and I don’t need your attitude right now.”_

_Dean clenched his jaw and pulled out of the county jail parking lot. There was a few moments of silence before John spoke again._

_“You have something to say, say it.” he growled._

_Dean glanced over at him, shaking his head._

_“Let’s just get home, Dad. We both need sleep…”_

_“Stop fucking trying to change the subject!” John shouted, the smell of alcohol still exuding from his breath and pores._

_“Dad stop yelling!” Dean snapped back, glaring over at him. “I’m driving and unless you want to get in another fucking crash shut the hell up!”_

_John stared over at him with wide, furious eyes._

_“What did you just say to me?” he demanded._

_“You heard me.” Dean shot back._

_John looked like he wanted to say something back but his exhaustion began taking over and he turned away, staring out the window._

_“You aren’t allowed to talk to me like that, Dean.” He mumbled as his eyelids fluttered._

_“Just go to sleep, Dad.” He sighed, staring straight forward._

_John did just that, passing out only moments later._

Dean shook the memory loose as he dialed his brother’s number to let him know that their father was safe and at Bobby’s house for a few weeks until he could figure out something else.

\--------

Castiel was very impatient to get to auto shop then next day. When lunch rolled around, he kept an eye out just in case Dean happened to come into the cafeteria. He didn’t show but Jo noticed what was going on.

“Castiel? Something wrong?” she asked, leaning into his eyeline.

“No.” he said too quickly, turning back to his food. “Just… ready for the end of the day.”

Everyone stared at him with shock.

“The end of the day? You? Are you sick?” Charlie said, disbelief on her face.

Castiel looked at them all with a questioning glance.

“I’m fine.” He replied, not understanding.

“Castiel Novak… king of academics… wants to leave the school?” Jo said doubtfully.

He narrowed his eyes at them before standing up with his tray.

“I’m just not feeling like being here today.” He replied, turning to walk out of the cafeteria.

Charlie chased after him moments later, already chattering about Shakespeare.

\--------

When they walked into the garage, Castiel’s heart sank. Dean wasn’t anywhere to be seen. Lisa Braeden, however, was perched on the edge of his desk with her tanned legs crossed over one another and her heel tapping against the desk.

“Hey everyone.” She said, smiling brightly. “Dean couldn’t come in today, unfortunately. So he just said for you to read chapter five in your books for the class period. I’ll be here supervising you so no acting out.”

Castiel gritted his teeth and flew past her to his car, sliding into the frame and picking up his book.  
“You are really off today, aren’t you?” Jo asked, sitting in her own car.

“I just want this day to be over.” He sighed, flipping through the book with frustration written onto his face. “I don’t even want to sit here and read this stupid book.”

Jo looked just as shocked as she had in the cafeteria.

“Castiel James Novak doesn’t want to study? Are you feverish? Let me feel your forehead.” She said, standing up and reaching out.

He slapped her hand away, glaring at her.

“Can’t I just have a day to be less than excited to be here without getting weird looks?” he snapped.

“Nope.” She replied, grinning at him before plopping back in her seat. “We have to make fun of you sometimes just to keep you on your toes.”

Castiel opened his mouth to fire something back at her but he was interrupted.

“Jo and Castiel, please be quiet! This is a no talking time.” Lisa called, putting her finger to her lips.

His eyes widened when he looked over at her, a murderous glare taking over his face as the school counselor faced away from him. Jo pressed her lips together and shook her head.

“She’s not worth the jail time.” She whispered before turning to her book to read.

As they were packing up to leave, Lisa called out to Castiel.

“Can you stay for a few minutes to talk?” she asked.

He considered it before shaking his head.

“Sorry, Miss Braedon. My brother has the car today and he’s picking me up. If I don’t get outside in the next five minutes, he’ll leave me and I’ll be forced to walk across the town to our house. Perhaps we can try to schedule another day.” He said, trying to sound remorseful.

“Oh that’s all right. I’ll call you in another day.” She said, smiling at him.

He shot her a big smile back before turning to walk out of the room, all amusement draining from his face as he glared forward.

“What did Miss Braedon do to piss you off?” Jo asked, shocked that Castiel wasn’t being charming to someone for the first time she’d ever seen.

He didn’t reply but in his mind he knew why he didn’t like her though he would never admit it out loud.

\--------

The next day, Castiel was even more moody, his guilt for snapping at Dean in the parking lot on Saturday weighing heavily on his shoulders. When he entered the auto shop in the last period, tension drained from his shoulders and he already felt better when he saw Dean leaning against the desk.

“Did you guys miss me?” he asked, his usual charming smile on his face as everyone headed straight for their cars.

A collective affirmation filled the room. Dean’s eyes skirted over everyone, falling on Castiel last. Something flickered through his eyes before he looked away.

“Today we are going to work on stripping your cars down completely before we start building them back up. Everyone grab a toolbox.”

Thirty minutes later, everyone was bent over their cars removing different things while Dean walked among the students looking at their progress. When he got to Castiel and bent over the engine with him, his heart began pounding furiously and he tried to keep his breathing under control.

“Stay after class a few minutes?” he murmured quietly so that only Castiel could. “I’d like to talk to you.”

He could only nod, glancing up at him nervously. Dean nodded as well, giving him an approving comment on his work before moving on. Several minutes later, the phone on Dean’s desk began ringing. He jogged over and picked it up.

“Yeah? Hey Lis.” He said.

Castiel clenched the wrench he was holding and gritted his teeth, not looking up like he wanted to.

“Yeah, I can send him over.”

He suddenly knew exactly what was going to happen. He dropped the wrench in the toolbox just as Dean was hanging up.  
“Hey Cas, Li… Miss Braedon needs to see you.” he called.

Castiel huffed and headed for the door.

“Tell her not to keep you for too long. I need you back here.” Dean said.

He looked up at the mechanic with surprise and saw that he was smiling slightly with amusement in his eyes. Castiel smiled slightly before walking out of the shop and towards the school. When he walked in, he saw a man coming towards him. He looked at Castiel with narrowed eyes before holding out a hand to stop him.

“Can you tell me where Dean Winchester is?” he asked.

Castiel almost recoiled at the alcohol smell coming off of him.

“That way.” he said, unsure of what to do as he pointed at the doors. “Go outside and to the big building. But he has a class… right now.”

It was too late, the man was staggering towards the doors and he slammed out of them. Castiel stared after him for a moment before hurrying off to Lisa’s office. When he entered, she smiled at him.

“Dean told me to tell you not to keep me for too long. We are doing something rather time restrictive.” He informed her.

“I promise I won’t keep you here forever, Castiel. I just need to talk about your classes with you.” she assured him, used to his blunt attitude.

“What about them?” he asked warily.

“Well as it turns out, we calculated them incorrectly. You didn’t need to have the full seven class schedule because of the CPR certification class you took here in Freshman year that gave you an extra credit. You can drop one of your classes.” She informed him.

Castiel lifted his head to frown at her.

“I can drop a class?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.

“Yep! Which will it be? I have a recommendation if you’d like to hear it.”

He waved a hand, indicating for her to continue.

“Well if you drop auto shop…”

“I don’t want to drop auto shop.” He interrupted her quickly.

She looked up at him with surprise.

“Okay. Well I was just suggesting it so that you would be able to leave school early. Which class would you rather drop?” she asked.

He considered it for a moment, not wanting to drop theater since Charlie was so excited about it.

“I’ll drop my sixth period class, art.” He informed her.

Lisa nodded, scribbling it down on a notepad.

“As long as you stay in the library or out of the hallways, you can do whatever you like. You can even hang out in front of the school when it’s warm.” She said.

“That’s it?” he asked, putting his hands in his jeans pockets.

“That’s it.” she confirmed.

He nodded and turned to walk out.  
“Oh and Castiel?” she asked.

He looked back at her.

“I’m glad you actually like the classes. I think they’ll be good for you.”

Castiel actually smiled slightly.

“Oh I’m sure they will be.”

\--------

As he walked back down the hallway, he began to go over the apology that he would say to Dean. He wouldn’t go into the situation without being prepared so he kept repeating the words over and over again in his head. As soon as he stepped out of the school, all of the words flew out of his head when he saw the scene in front of him. Dean and the drunk man were facing each other, both with furious looks on their faces. Castiel hesitated, knowing they hadn’t seen him yet. He considered going back into the school until he saw the older man launch forward and shove Dean’s shoulder. He couldn’t turn away with a clear conscience so instead he found his feet carrying him forward.

“… can’t talk to me like that! I am your father!”

The words reached his ears and his eyes widened as the information processed in his mind. What kind of a father would lay his hand on his son in such a way.

“You need to get out of here. This is not a place for you to be. I work here and you need to leave.” Dean shot back, glaring at his dad.

“I will go wherever I damn well please!” the older Winchester yelled.

“Dad…” Dean hissed, stepping forward.

“Dean?” Castiel cut in, wanting to give them a chance to cool off so that they might stop being so loud. “Is everything okay?”  
The mechanic turned to him with wide eyes, looking guilty and angry at the same time. If Castiel hadn’t just witness what he did, he would have thought Dean was mad at him.  
“It’s fine, Cas… just…”

“Like hell it is! Go back to your fucking books, kid. This is personal.” Dean’s father snapped at him.

Dean’s head snapped around.

“This is one of my students, Dad.” He growled, stepping in front of Cas who was watching with wide eyes. “You can’t talk to him like that.”

The Winchester patriarch stared between them for a moment before shaking his head.

“We aren’t done, Dean. I will see you later to discuss this more.” He snapped before turning to walk off.

They both watched him go as they stood side-by-side.

“I’m sorry about that, Cas. Let’s get back inside.” Dean sighed, turning towards the building.

“Dean…”

“If you could not tell anyone about that, it would be great. I really don’t need anyone knowing that my drunk father showed up on the school campus.” He said, walking towards the door.

“Dean…”

“I don’t know if I’ll get in trouble but if anyone finds out my dad was drunk then…”

“Dean!”

The older male turned to Cas with wide eyes, surprised by his raised voice.

“I don’t care about your father.” He said, looking into his green eyes. “Are you all right?”

Dean was taken aback, that much was clear.

“I… I’m fine, Cas.” He said, shocked.

Castiel nodded before pushing the door open.

“We’ll talk after class.” He said before walking to his car to get back to work.

\--------

As the class emptied out, Castiel made a show of putting away his tools slowly, waving Jo off and saying that he had to talk to Dean. When everyone else left, he straightened up and walked to the shelf to replace the toolbox. When he turned away, he saw Dean sitting at his desk looking at his phone. With a sigh, he glanced up and seemed to just notice that the room was empty except for them. Castiel awkwardly walked over, his hands in his pockets as he did so.

“Hey. Sorry about making you stay behind. If you have to go…”

“No it’s all right. I have plenty of time.” Castiel assured him quickly.

Dean nodded and stood, putting his phone on the desk.

“About what just happened…” he began.

“You don’t have to worry about it, Dean. It’s already forgotten.” Castiel said, waving him off. “Anyway, I really have no reason to speak considering my embarrassing display on Saturday. I had no right to speak to you as I did and I apologize for lashing out at you. You did nothing to deserve it.”

Dean looked at him with surprise.

“I was prying.” He reminded him.

“I would have told you if I was uncomfortable with the questions. The thing is I’d only recently come to terms with my… preferences… and they are still a bit of a sore spot, I guess. You didn’t deserve for me to take my frustration with that out on you. I accept full responsibility and I ask for your forgiveness.”

Dean stared at him with raised eyebrows.

“It’s forgotten, Cas. Honestly, I’m not bothered by it.”

Castiel sighed with relief as Dean leaned against the desk.

“Now my turn to talk.” He said.

The younger man nodded and closed his mouth, ready to pay attention.

“You already admitted that you told me something pretty personal in that parking lot and I believe that fair is fair.”

Castiel opened his mouth to argue but Dean stopped him by raising his hand. He sighed and closed his mouth, still wanting to deny that Dean owed him anything.

“My dad left a few months ago and he’s just come back with a lot on his mind. We didn’t part on good terms. In fact, he left because I had a conversation with him in which I admitted to something.” Dean said.

“Dean you really don’t have to…”

“I’m gay too, Cas.”

Castiel’s mouth snapped closed and he looked at Dean with a bewildered gaze. They stared at each other for a few minutes as he processed what he heard.

“I told my dad and he didn’t take it well. That’s what we were arguing about.”

Castiel stared at him, absorbing his story.

“Why are you telling me all of this?” he asked.

Dean pushed off the desk.

“Fair is fair. I don’t want you to be at a disadvantage when it comes to me. I don’t want to feel like I’m above any of my students. I want us to be equals and to do that, I had to level the playing field. Now we’re on the same page.”

Castiel nodded, still shocked and processing the information.

“Thank you.” he finally managed to say.

Dean nodded, reaching out to pat his shoulder.

“We good?” he asked.

He nodded quickly once again. Dean grinned at him and turned them towards the exit as he grabbed his bag.

“Great. Now let’s talk cars.” 


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel has a strange dream, he has some alone time with Dean, and Jo realizes something important.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This isn’t my best chapter so I apologize for the quality.

_Castiel inhaled deeply as he leaned over the car, his hands working on twisting caps and connecting cables. Sweat dripped down his back as he puffed out the air and thirsted for a drink of cool water. He wiped the back of his hand on his forehead, smearing grease on his face before wiping his hands off with a rag. His eyes flickered over to Jo’s car to see her sitting in the ground._

_“It’s hot!” she complained, fanning her face with a piece of paper._

_Murmurs of agreement echoed around the room._

_“Can we please get some air?” Meg whined, stripping off her t-shirt to reveal a tank top underneath._

_There was scuffling as Dean moved out from underneath his car and sat up._

_“You guys are free to go. I’ll look at the air conditioner today.” He said, running a hand through his hair before standing up._

_A groan of relief went through the room as everyone began moving towards the door._

_“Not you, Cas.” Dean said, peering into his car as he walked with the others._

_The dark-haired teenager turned with wide-eyes, unsure of why he was being singled out._

_“You connected these cables wrong and you need to fix them before you go.”_

_Castiel frowned and waved at Jo for her to leave as he approached the car with a furrowed brow._

_“I was certain that I followed the diagram perfectly.” He said with frustration, reaching for the book to open it._

_Suddenly the book was slammed closed and Dean grabbed it, dropping it to the ground. Castiel inhaled deeply as he stepped up next to him, mere inches away as he reached up and turned his head to look into the engine of the car._

_“Not everything is learned through books, Cas.” He murmured, his mouth directly at his ear._

_The younger male shivered, his heart pounding as one of Dean’s hands slid around his back to rest on his hip._

_“There are some things you have to feel your way through.” Dean breathed, his thumb pushing his shirt up slightly to run over his skin._

_“Like what?” Castiel whispered, his skin tingling at the touch._

_Dean turned him around to face him, pushing him back against the car as he stared down into his eyes._

_“This.” he revealed, leaning in._

_Castiel’s eyes fluttered closed as he felt a light kiss to his lips and Dean’s grip on his hip tightened. The kiss quickly deepened and Dean pushed forward, their bodies aligning as he nibbled at Cas’s lower lip._

_“I seem to be getting your point.” Castiel gasped out as he kissed down his jaw to his throat and attacked the skin there with bruising kisses._

_“Really?” Dean mumbled, sliding his shirt up as he ran his hands over his torso. “Because I think you might need some more examples.”_

_Castiel didn’t argue, leaning into the touch._

_“Okay.” He agreed, tilting his head back further to give the older male more access._

_Suddenly an echoing knock filled his ears. Dean growled with frustration and gripped his hips tighter._

_“Tell them to go the fuck away.” He snapped, burrowing his face into his shoulder._

_“It’s your classroom.” Castiel breathed back, his heart thundering in his chest as all of his blood rushed to his lower half._

_“No, it’s your room.” Dean fired back._

_He furrowed his brow, stilling._

_“What?” Castiel questioned._

_The knocking sounding again and he heard a voice._

_“Castiel!”_

_He lifted his head and frowned._

“Castiel!”

Cas jerked up and looked around, his eyes wide as the remnants of the dream stuck in his head. The door opened and Anna peeked in, looking at him with raised eyebrows.

“Mom says you have to get up. You’ll miss school if you don’t start getting ready now.” She said, smiling at him before closing the door and leaving him alone.           

Castiel sighed, leaning over and burying his face in his hands as he tried to get rid of the ghost of Dean’s hands on him. He was so screwed if he started having sex dreams about the mechanic, no matter how attractive and young the man was.

\----------

“So what’s the deal with Dean calling you Cas?” Jo questioned as they walked down the hallway towards lunch that same day.

Castiel’s heart rate spiked at the mention of the name and he internally scolded himself for it.

“He just said he likes to nickname people and my name is a mouthful.” He shrugged.

She smiled and shook her head.

“What?” He asked, frowning.

“He only nicknames people he likes.” Jo informed him. “You don’t see him giving Meg Masters or Gordon Walker nicknames, do you?”

Castiel considered her words.

“I think I’ve actually heard him call Gordon a few things but they weren’t exactly friendly.” He acknowledged.

The blonde let out a pealing laugh and knocked against his arm before they walked into the cafeteria. When they entered through the double doors, more than a few gazes fell on them.

“Why are they staring?” he whispered as they walked to the line to get food.

“It’s not me they’re staring at, it’s you. You’re not exactly wearing the Castiel Novak wardrobe right now.”

He looked down at his torn jeans, the ratty band shirt that probably belonged to Lucifer at some point, and the hand-me-down leather jacket from Michael that he swore he’d never wear as well as the black boots that adorned his feet.

“I woke up late this morning and didn’t have time to spend on my usual clothing. I just had to thrown on what I would wear to auto shop.” He shrugged.

Jo smirked at him as she slid down the line with her tray in her hands.

“Well whatever it is… half of the school is considering ripping them off of you in an erotic fashion and the other half is considering punching you in the face for the attention you’re getting.” She informed him, picking up an apple and placing it on her plate.

Castiel glanced around to see that the mixture of faces was showing those exact two emotions. Instead of being flattered or even frightened, he rolled his eyes.

“I think Balthazar might be drooling.” She said, squinting in the blonde boy’s direction.

“I don’t care. My concern is not with the raging hormones of the high school body.” He remarked.

Jo laughed and tugged him in the direction of their table.

“I think you’re just finally getting the attention that your siblings always got when they were here. If you just…” she set down her tray and reached up her hand, running it through his hair much to his annoyance.

“What are you doing, Jo?” he asked in a deadpan voice.

The rest of their table was looking up at Cas with raised eyebrows as she messed with his hair.

“There… now you look like a model. You are finally living up to the Novak name without all of those puffed up clothes on. You should wear this more often.” She informed him, finally finishing the perfectly messy look that wasn’t ratty but didn’t look like it was fixed either.

He rolled his eyes again and sat on the bench.

“I could honestly not care less how people perceive me. If they think that I am not as attractive as my siblings that is no problem of mine. It is not as though I am looking to mate with any of them.”

The entire table groaned at his wording as he heard footsteps approaching and smelled overwhelming cologne.

“Cas… I must say you are looking good. What is this about mating I hear?” Balthazar said, plopping beside him.

The dark haired-boy shook his head and looked over at him.

“Just when I was thinking about the vapidity and ridiculous lustful intentions of my fellow high school students, the worst of you decides to appear. Are you so self-centered that you think any mention of you is a good mention?” he asked, the unwanted attention combined with his frustrating dream completely taking away his verbal filter.

Every one of his friends’ jaws dropped but Balthazar laughed, throwing his head back and gaining even more attention for him.

“Honestly, Cas…”

“Don’t call me Cas.” He interrupted, narrowing his eyes at Balthazar.

“But you hate Cassie and I heard someone calling you Cas in the office the other day. That mechanic teacher… what’s his name? The one always covered in dirt.” He said, wrinkling his nose as his hand reached out and began softly stroking the back of Castiel’s hand.

He glared down at the touch and resisted the urge to punch the other boy in the face despite the fact that he’d never done something so violent to anyone except for his brothers.

“Dean. And I said don’t call me Cas.” He said, knocking his hand away before standing up. “Only people that I like get to call me Cas and you definitely do not fall into that category.”

He felt every eye in the cafeteria on him as he threw his food away and stormed out, his heart pounding with anger as he made his way towards the auditorium to breath and relax before he was forced to go through reading the dialogue with Miss Talbot. Charlie came in several minutes later as the others began filing in, all keeping their eyes off of Castiel but still whispering about him. She sat next to him and he sighed, waiting.

“So… what do you think about being Claudio in the play?” she asked, looking over at him with questioning eyes.

He looked back at her with surprise before relaxing and sighing with relief.

“I’m not pleased with having to play such a romantic but I’m sure that I will survive.” Castiel replied.

She smiled and nodded.

“I can’t imagine that having to kiss a girl is going to be easy.” Charlie acknowledged.

His head snapped back over to look at her and his eyes were wide.

“Oh come on, Cas. My gaydar is sharp. I knew way before you did.” she sighed, flicking her hand carelessly as she reached down to pull out her copy of the play. “Don’t worry, your secret is always safe with me.”

He smiled at her, finding that the only people that he could stand in the school at the moment were his friends. Well… and Dean.

\----------

Castiel found himself outside when theater ended. He was sitting on one of the benches near the faculty parking lot with his head leaned back and his eyes closed when he heard the familiar rumble of an engine. His heart immediately began pounding as he remembered the dream. He tried to pretend he hadn’t heard it, hoping that Dean wouldn’t see him as he sunk further down onto the bench. When he heard footsteps for a few moments, he hoped that they were leading away from him. When they stopped short and he heard an amused chuckle, his cheeks filled with blood and he cursed in his head.

“Shouldn’t you be in class?” Dean asked as he approached him. “I never took you for a class skipper.”

His eyes opened and he shook his head.

“I dropped art because I was taking too many credits.” He said, lifting his head and peering up at the older male. “I have nothing else to do so I thought that I would enjoy the sun.”

Dean nodded, glancing around.

“Well if you’re bored, you could help me out.” he offered.

“How so?” he asked, sitting up.

“I got some new parts for the cars and I need some help carrying them up. It rained last night so I don’t want to drive my baby through the mud to the garage. Think you could help me?” he asked, gesturing to the Impala.

Castiel stood with a nod.

“It takes away some of my boredom. I’m not used to having nothing to do at school.” He said, following him to his car.

“How’s your car doing with the new battery?” Dean questioned as they pulled out the heavy boxes of car parts.

He flushed as he remembered that night two weeks ago. His flush got even darker when he remembered Dean’s own confession that shocked him.

“It’s fine. It’s still a shitty car but it gets me and my brother around.” he shrugged as they walked to the garage.

Dean looked over at him with wide eyes.

“What?” Castiel asked, wondering what he said.

“I mean, I know I’m a cool teacher and all but I’ve never had a student daring enough to curse in front of me.

He realized what he said and his mouth dropped open as he tried to stutter out an apology. Dean laughed, setting down his box to unlock the door to the garage.

“It’s fine, Cas. I like it. It’s refreshing. You’re probably the one student… next to Jo I guess… who isn’t always trying to impress me or… God forbid… flirt with me.” he said, grinning at him as he pushed the door open for him to walk through.

Castiel felt his heart sink as he walked in.

“I usually don’t curse. I’ve had a less-than-perfect day and it’s catching up to me. My verbal filter disappears when I’m frustrated or angry.” He said as an excuse once they set the boxes down in the corner with the other car parts and walked towards the door to go get more boxes.

Dean looked over at him curiously as they walked back to the Impala.

“You wanna talk about it?” he asked.

Castiel looked over at him and he almost said he was all right before he realized that even without his crush in the mix, they’d developed a sort of trusting relationship.

“I didn’t sleep very satisfyingly last night. My dreams were… strange.” he admitted, shoving his hands into the jacket pockets as they walked. “My sister wasn’t exactly gentle when she woke me up so that already put me in a mood. I didn’t have time to dress in my normal, nicer clothing so this is what I had to wear.”

He could have sworn that he saw Dean’s eyes flicker up and down his form as they reached the Impala.

“And I just… my siblings all came to this same school and they left a sort of reputation for the Novak children, as I’m sure you know. We have to be smart and the top of our class but also athletic and popular and good looking. I don’t know… it’s hard to stand up to sometimes. I’m good at the academic parts and I am good at being active outside of school but… I don’t have their charisma. I’m not charming or particularly popular. I don’t care that my fellow students think that I’m good looking. In fact I would rather they didn’t look at me in that way because they’ll just try to distract me. I don’t want attention from them because I know it’ll simply be because I look good. It’s strange, I know.”

Dean shook his head, pushing the door open again for them to walk through.

“It’s not strange. I was a Freshman right when your brothers were graduating, I think. Michael and Lucifer are twins, right?”

Castiel nodded.

“Yeah so I remember seeing them and how much people adored them. At first I wanted that. Once they left and it was sophomore year, there was a space open and it was easy to fill it. Kids in high school want someone to look up to and adore for everything to do with them. I basked in it for a while but… it got boring and annoying. That was when I started feeling… other things.”

Castiel quickly realized what he was talking about and flushed.

“The thing is, by the end of it, I couldn’t wait to get out. I went off for a while and traveled around in my Impala. It was freeing. Then I came back and worked in Bobby’s garage while my brother went to school. It turns out that how popular you are in high school has no effect on your future. You’re gonna be what you’re gonna be no matter how many people worshipped you for your star football skills.” He sighed, placing the box on the ground and turning to face him. “I guess what I’m saying is don’t worry about it if you don’t want to play to these people’s rules about how you have to look and act because you’re going to get out of here and none of it will matter once you’re the best surgeon in the world.”

Castiel smiled slightly as he stepped away from the boxes and wiped his hands on his jeans.

“But… just for the record…” Dean said, stepping around the boxes to walk to the door.

Cas glanced up at him curiously.

“You do look damn good in that outfit.” He said with a wink.

He grinned and felt warmth spreading through him. He wasn’t an expert on relationships and just heard Dean clearly state that he didn’t like it when students flirted with him but… how was he supposed to take his words as anything except for flirting? He shook his head and moved to grab more boxes with the older male. He would have to ask Anna later.

\----------

He was sitting by his car laughing at a joke Dean said when the rest of the class came in. Jo was looking at them with a strange look as she walked over.

“You weren’t at your locker.” She acknowledged.

“Yeah, sorry. I was helping Dean carry some stuff in and we got carried away talking.” Castiel said apologetically as Dean walked to address the class.

Jo nodded and quieted as he explained what they were doing that day. As soon as he dismissed them to their individual tasks and Cas stood to walk to get a few parts that he needed, Jo’s hand dragged him down into her car and she leaned over, glaring at him as he sprawled into the seat.

“What are you doing, Jo?” he demanded.

She squinted down at him before her eyes lit up with a realization.

“Oh my God! You have a crush on him!” she hissed, punching his shoulder.

“Ow!” Castiel complained, all the color draining from his face as he panicked over what she said. “On who?”

He tried to play dumb but he knew that it wouldn’t work. She rolled her eyes.

“On Dean!” Jo snapped, punching his other shoulder.

He stared up at her with wide eyes before putting a hand on her mouth and dragging her down as well much to the strange looks that they were getting from everyone considering that they were wrestling around in the car.

“We’ll talk about it later but not here.” Castiel whispered, not denying it.

“Cas!” she shrieked around his hand, looking stunned and excited all at once.

“Shh! Later!” he hissed.

“Something going on here I need to know about?”

They both looked up to see Dean leaning over the car with raised eyebrows. Castiel released Jo’s mouth as they both smiled up at him.

“Nope!” Jo said, nudging Castiel’s ribs.

“Nothing.” He shook his head, squeezing her knee back.

He smirked at them before shaking his head.

“Get to work, guys.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jo insists on talking about his crush, Castiel goes to the grocery store with his mother and brother, and they have a strange and violent confrontation there.

“Is this really necessary?” Castiel sighed, walking behind his mother who was pushing a grocery cart.

He was looking down at his phone where Jo was texting him incessantly considering they hadn’t had a chance to discuss his crush at school.

**How long have you had it?**

He shook his head and started typing back. Gabriel was off picking out the ingredients to bake Castiel a cake. For all of his brother’s faults, he was an excellent baker and had been singlehandedly making everyone’s birthday desserts since he was twelve-years-old.

**I don’t want to talk about it, Jo.**

“You know that we like birthdays in our house. Michael and Lucifer are traveling back here from Chicago just to see you for your dinner. We’re eating what you like so yes, this is necessary.” Rebecca answered, picking up the fresh vegetables to peer at them.

“I would be happy with pizza and a movie.” He informed her.

**Too bad. You’re my best friend and he’s like my brother. It’s practically my job to get in the middle. Is it his eyes? Do you think about kissing him? What about his ass? Do you like his ass?**

“And yet this is what you’re receiving. Most children would be grateful for their favorite home-cooked meal.” His mother answered, glancing up at him with a slight smile.

He sighed, stepping up and putting his arm around her shoulders.

“I am grateful, Mother. I am just concerned for you. Thanksgiving is two weeks away and I do not want you to be stressed about cooking a meal now just when you are going to be cooking an even bigger meal later.” He explained.

She smiled up at him, patting his cheek.

“You’re such a sweet boy, Castiel. But this is your birthday and I am going to make it amazing for you. Now do you want steamed broccoli or asparagus? I know you like them both.” she said, looking at the two green vegetables.

**I’m not talking about this with you, Joanna Beth.**

Castiel considered it before looking at her.

“Can I have both?”

**Caaaaasstieeeel!!!**

Rebecca grinned and nodded, putting them into the clear bags before laying them in the cart.

“Anything for my precious son.” She said, moving on to find meat to make his favorite steaks.

**No.**

He was glancing around for Gabriel as they passed by aisles when they heard the ruckus. Both Castiel and Rebecca glanced up to see a man stumble out of the alcohol aisle with a furious look on his face.

“You got no right to kick me out of here!” he roared, pointing at someone they couldn’t see.

“Sir I am going to have to ask you to escort yourself out before I am forced to call the police!” a voice said strictly, the manager of the store walking out of the aisle with a stern expression.

Castiel almost dropped the package of beef that his mother handed him to hold as he recognized the drunken man who was fighting with the employee.

“This is not good.” He murmured.

Rebekah looked at him with big eyes.

“Do you know that man, Castiel?” she asked, wondering where her son could possible come across such a violent and angry man.

“Not particularly. I know his son.” He said, hesitating as he wondered if he should go help the employee handle John Winchester.

Gabriel drifted out of the baking aisle to see what the noise was and he glanced back to see them. He walked to them as the scene attracted many looks.

“I want my fucking beer! Get your fucking hands off of me!” John shouted, shoving the man away into a display of cookies.

Castiel dropped the beef into the basket before launching forward, Gabriel hot on his heels after throwing his baking materials into the cart as well. Their mother called after them but they were already approaching them. Castiel helped the store manager up as Gabriel planted himself between John and the other two.

“You need to leave.” Gabriel said, his serious tone completely opposite from what he usually heard as his hands curled into fists.

John glared at him before his eyes flickered over his shoulder to Castiel who was asking the manager if he was all right.

“You.” he growled.

The dark-haired teenager looked around to see that the Winchester patriarch was glaring daggers at him.

“You’re that boy that interrupted me and my son at the school.” He said, jabbing a finger in his direction.

Gabriel glanced over his shoulder at Castiel with confusion as John stepped forward.

“You screwing my boy? Is that what it is?”

Castiel’s heart skipped a beat at the accusation as Gabriel stepped back to stand beside him protectively.

“You fucking my boy and putting all those unnatural thoughts in his head?” John demanded, pushing forward as his face turned red with fury.

“Hey! You don’t get to talk to my son like that!”

They both turned with wide eyes as their mother stomped forward, anger flashing in her eyes as her protectiveness over Castiel came out.

“Mom it’s okay.” He sighed, stepping towards her.

“No it’s not okay! Your fucking son is fucking my son and trying to get him arrested! He’s a faggot!” John shouted.

Rebecca looked furious and her tiny hands curled into fists. She launched out and punched him across the nose, sending him staggering backwards. Gasps echoed through the store as John glared in her direction, blood dripping out of his nose.

“You bitch!” he snapped.

He took one step towards her and that was all it took for Castiel to see red. Suddenly he was in front of John. He grasped his wrist and squeezed the pressure point, causing him to howl in pain. His other hand flew out and punched him in stomach, causing him to choke and wheeze as the air was taken out of him.

“Don’t you dare touch my mother!” he growled, pinching the point on his neck and forcing him down his knees before punching him in his already bleeding nose.

John reeled backwards, collapsing on the floor moaning and unable to stand. Castiel breathed heavily, staring down at him with fury in his eyes as his heart pounded. Someone was already calling the police as he stepped away, his mother’s arms wrapping around him.

“Holy shit, Cassie!” Gabriel exclaimed, patting his shoulder.

“Language, Gabriel.” Rebecca berated half-heartedly.

“I think that was an appropriate sentiment given what just happened. I can’t believe you’re such a badass, little brother.”

Castiel took a deep breath and ignored the stinging pain in his hand.

“Who is that, Castiel? How did he know?” Rebecca asked, looking up at him.

“That’s Dean Winchester’s father, my shop teacher. I saw them at school and interrupted a heated argument that they were in. I suppose he was still angry about it.” he said, trying to sound aloof when he was really bothered by what just happened.

If this was truly what Dean had to deal with when he came out to his father, he suddenly didn’t feel so sorry for himself when it came to his own family’s reactions. At least they were all more than supportive when it came to his sexuality. It seemed like John Winchester wasn’t just in denial, but that he was prejudiced against his own son for the way he felt. They stuck around, several other men keeping an eye on John as the police came. When they cuffed him, he lifted his head and glared at Castiel as they led him out. When the store manager explained everything that happened, one of the men walked over to them.

“Mrs. Novak, you were involved in the confrontation, correct?” he asked, recognizing her as the mayor’s wife.

“We all were, these are my sons.” Rebecca said, stepping up.

He nodded, writing something down on a pad of paper.

“Would it be possible for you three to come down to station and answer some questions about what happened here?” he asked.

Rebecca looked back at their cart full of groceries.

“Can we take those home first?” she asked, causing both of her sons to smile slightly as the cop nodded solemnly.

\----------

“I’m signing out, Bobby.” Dean said, leaning over the computer and clicking his employee time clock.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” The older man said gruffly as he checked out their last customer of the day.

He waved at him and turned to walk out, his phone ringing as he did.

“Hello?” He said simply as he moved towards his Impala that was parked behind the garage.

“Dean Winchester?” a gruff voice asked.

He stopped short, dread settling into the pit of his stomach.

“Yeah? Who’s asking?” he questioned.

“Your father, John Winchester, is here at the police station. He was involved in a drunken altercation in the local grocery store. No one is pressing charges but we see that he was arrested a while ago on a driving while intoxicated charge. You are responsible for him so you must come here and collect him.”

Dean sighed heavily and pulled his keys out, opening his door.

“Yeah I’ll be there in a few minutes.” He said, anger and disappointment filling him as he knew that this would happen.

The officer didn’t hang up, letting out a sigh.

“You’re lucky, boy. It’s a good thing the mayor’s family are forgiving people or they could have your father in a lot of trouble.”

Dean froze, his eyes wide before he started the car.

“The mayor’s family?” he repeated, wincing. “The Novaks?”

“Yeah, he attacked one of the Novak sons. Just a kid...”

Dean started the car with a rumble, interrupting the man.

“I’m on my way now.” He said, fury rising in him as he threw his phone into the passenger seat and tore out of the parking lot.

\----------

“I kind of wish we’d been cuffed too.” Gabriel sighed as he paced the waiting room.

“We weren’t in trouble, Gabriel.” Castiel reminded him, rolling his eyes at his brother.

He looked at him with a wicked gleam in his eye.

“Doesn’t matter, Cassie. A hot policeman or woman cuffing me… so many fantasies, so little time.” he said, throwing himself into the seat next to him and propping his feet up on the waiting table.

A door opened and they turned to see their mother and father walking out talking and laughing with Sheriff Henricksen. Castiel and Gabriel both stood as they walked to them.

“You did good, son.” Victor said, patting Castiel’s shoulder approvingly. “From what I saw on the surveillance tapes, you were pretty handy at taking him down. You ever consider joining the force?”

Castiel shook his head, flushing.

“I was just keeping him away from my mom. Is… is he all right?”

They all looked surprised at his concerned but he wasn’t about to admit that he wasn’t as much asking about John as much as he was wondering how much Dean would have to deal with.

“He’s fine. Just a bruised ribs and a hell of a hangover. He’s sobered up now and pretty apologetic. I’m sure that once he’s out of here, he’ll probably want to apologize to you personally. It’s up to you folks or not whether you want that to happen.”

Charles looked hesitant as he glanced at Rebecca.

“I’m not sure that will be…”

He was cut off by the sound of a door slamming open. They turned to see Dean storm into the station with a furious look on his face. Castiel felt dread filling him and part of him wanted to hide behind his parents and the sheriff. For some reason, his mind entertained the thought that it might be him that the mechanic was angry with.

“Is that your teacher?” Rebecca asked quietly as Dean went up to the receptionist desk and spoke in low tones with her.

Castiel nodded simply, stepping around his father to watch as Dean’s head turned to face them. Unidentifiable emotions flickered over his face before he nodded at her and turned to walk to them.

“Mayor Novak, Mrs. Novak…” he sighed, nodding at them as he ran his fingers through his hair.

His eyes flickered to Castiel and the teenager bit his lip at the spark of anger that still showed in them.

“I am so sorry for my father’s behavior. I can’t explain enough how apologetic I am.” He said, misery clear in his voice.

Chuck leaned around his wife and held out a hand.

“It’s not your fault, son.” He said, shaking Dean’s hand who looked slightly relieved. “I’m just glad he got away minimally injured.”

Dean frowned, his brow furrowing. His eyes glanced at Castiel and darted over his figure to see that he wasn’t injured at all.

“Who got injured?” he asked.

Rebecca looked hesitant, reaching back to put her hand on Castiel’s shoulder.

“He got a little carried away in his protectiveness. I think your father will heal pretty quickly but Castiel can be quite… aggressive… at times. Especially with growing up with three equally aggressive older brothers.”

Dean’s eyes widened and he looked at Castiel before a flicker of a smile appeared on his face.

“You took down my dad?” he asked, surprising everyone else with the impressed tone in his voice.

Castiel blushed deeper and shrugged.

“I wasn’t thinking too much. I just… acted. I don’t think I damaged him too badly.” He said quickly, trying to keep the other male from getting angry at him.

Dean’s smile got a little bigger.

“Did you use that pressure point thing you told me about?” he asked.

Castiel nodded slowly, feeling his family’s eyes on him.

The mechanic nodded slowly, reaching out to pat his arm.

“Well to be honest, Cas. I kind of wish you’d kicked his ass a little more. God knows he could use it.” he said, moving past him and nodding at the deputy who came out to take him to his father.

Castiel watched as he walked off, Dean glancing over his shoulder and shooting him one last smile before disappearing down the hallway.

“Well that went much better than I imagined.” Rebecca sighed with relief.

“It’s a good thing Mr. Winchester likes our boy.” Chuck said, patting his other shoulder as Castiel couldn’t tear his eyes off of the direction that Dean walked away in.

He pulled him in the direction of the door as the sheriff walked them out, obviously wanting to keep the good will of the mayor and his family.

“Have a great day.” Victor said as they walked out towards the car.

Castiel was staring down at his feet as they walked.

“Cas, huh?” Gabriel said, nudging him.

“Shut up!” he hissed, shoving him back before climbing into the car with the place where Dean touched him tingling even through his clothes.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s time for Castiel’s birthday celebration. A surprise guest shows up and Dean has a conversation with his brother before getting a surprise message.

“He got arrested again?” Sam demanded, disbelief in his voice.

“Yeah, he did. I honestly don’t know what to do here, Sammy. He was getting violent in a damn grocery store. If Cas hadn’t been able to jump in, h could have easily hit the mayor’s wife because he was drunk off his ass. How do I even handle that?” he explained as he glanced over at John’s unconscious form.

He didn’t dare to take him back to Bobby’s house after what happened until he had a chance to talk to his brother and figure out what should happen.

“You shouldn’t have to deal with this, Dean. Not everything to do with him has to be your problem.” Sam argued, sounding annoyed and frustrated with their father.

Dean sighed heavily and rubbed his forehead.

“No one else will do it if I don’t.” he defended his actions.

“Don’t act like he doesn’t deserve to fall on his ass, Dean. He hasn’t been a father for twenty years since Mom died. It was horrible but that doesn’t give him an excuse for anything he’s done, especially not after everything that’s happened in the past year.”

Dean looked over at his father once more, knowing that Sam was right yet still feeling a sense of responsibility to the man.

“I’ll think about what to do, Sam. But I don’t know if I can just toss him out.”

Sam didn’t say anything for a few moments.

“You sure you’re all right?” he finally asked.

Dean shook his head, getting up to walk into his kitchen.

“I’m fine, Sammy.” He answered, knowing that his troubled voice betrayed him.

Sam sighed as Dean pulled a beer out and opened it.

“Who’s Cas?” the younger Winchester asked, changing the subject since he knew he wasn’t getting anything else out of him.

Dean froze for a moment, his eyes widening.

“Hmm?” was all that he managed to say.

“You mentioned a Cas when you were talking about Dad in the grocery story. Who is that?”

He sat at his small table and leaned forward on his elbows.

“He’s, uh… he’s my… a student. One of the shop students.” He stammered.

Sam made a grunting noise as if he understood.

“Wait, Castiel Novak? I remember that kid when I was in high school. He was smart. He’s really in your shop class? I wouldn’t have thought that was his thing.” He acknowledged.

“Yeah me neither when I first saw him but he’s actually pretty good at it.” Dean said, smiling as he thought of the blue-eyed, dark-haired teenager.

Sam was quiet for a few more moments but Dean heard a muffled voice in the background.

“Hey Jess is calling me out to go to dinner.” He said. “I’ll see you soon, okay?”

Dean’s face twisted with confusion.

“You will?”

Sam made a noise of assent.

“Thanksgiving break is in a couple of weeks, Dean.” He reminded him.

“Oh right.” Dean nodded, having forgotten that they were coming for the holiday. “See you soon, little brother.”

They hung up and Dean sighed again, leaning back in his chair and drinking his beer as his father’s snores echoed around him.

\----------

“So you and Dean are getting along pretty well?” Gabriel said, smirking over at him as he mixed the cake batter.

Castiel looked up and gave him a narrow-eyed stare.

“Well get along as well as a teacher and student would.” He said, knowing perfectly well that he was lying.

He was sitting at the kitchen island working on homework as his brother created his birthday cake.

“Hey, I’m as supportive as anyone of your crush on the hot auto shop teacher. He’s damn sexy.” His older brother said, licking a spoon before tossing it into the sink. “I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

Castiel stared at him with surprise.

“I don’t have a crush on Dean. Even if I did, there would be no chance of reciprocation so the likelihood of me being harmed is quite small.” He replied.

Gabriel sighed and shook his head as he poured the cake batter into a pan.

“I don’t mean physically harmed, Cassie. I mean your delicate little emotions that I know are buried deep inside under a bunch of ambition and science facts.” He said, putting the cake into the oven to bake.

Castiel scowled at him despite the worried sentiment behind his brother’s words.

“I am touched by your concern, Gabriel. But I am fine.” He assured him, going back to his homework.

They heard footsteps and Anna walked in moments later.

“Should he really be in here while you’re making his cake?” she asked, mussing Castiel’s hair as she passed.

“It’s not like he’ll act anymore surprised later if he doesn’t see it now.” Gabriel answered as he gathered the ingredients for the icing.

“He still appreciates it, though.” Anna said confidently, grinning at him as Castiel focused on the book in front of him.

“Of course I appreciate it.” he agreed as she nudged him.

“And that’s about all the gratitude you’re going to get, Gabe.” Lucifer said, walking into the kitchen as they all looked up at him with smiles.

“Hey!” Anna launched forward and hugged him tightly.

Michael trailed in as well, hugging his sister before patting Castiel’s shoulder.

“Happy Birthday, Castiel.” He said, squeezing his shoulder gently.

“Yeah, happy day that you were removed from Mom like a tumor little bother.” Lucifer said with a  smirk, referring to his c-section birth.

He laughed as he ducked the pen that Castiel aimed at his head.

“How long are you two going to be here?” Anna questioned, leaning into Michael with her head on his shoulder.

“A couple of days. We can’t be gone for long since Thanksgiving is coming up.” He answered, leaning against the cabinet and wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

“You didn’t have to come at all.” Castiel sighed, closing his book as he knew that he wouldn’t be getting any more work done.

“Aw come on, it’s not every day that the littlest Novak gets to turn eighteen! We had to be here!” Lucifer said teasingly, pulling him into his side and squeezing him tightly. “We have to celebrate! Get you to buy some cigarettes!”

Castiel ducked out of his grip with a grumpy look.

“I don’t smoke.” He said simply.

“Well none of us do either but it’s a rite of passage. You know, something you have to do at least once so you can say you did it.” Anna piped up.

Gabriel smirked as he mixed the icing.

“I think he’d rather be fucked by his hot…”

Castiel silenced him, reaching across the counter and shoving a towel into his mouth.

“I would rather be left alone by my annoying siblings but I don’t ever see that happening.” He grumbled, gathering his books with frustration all over his face.

“Who do you want to have sex with?” Anna said, perking up.

“Come on, Cassie. Tell us everything.” Lucifer said, blocking the way out of the kitchen so he couldn’t leave.

Castiel glared over his shoulder at Gabriel who looked partly apologetic but mostly amused by their teasing.

“I don’t. Now let me pass. Just because it’s my birthday doesn’t mean that I have to listen to you all taunt me.” he said, frustrated beyond belief by his siblings’ behavior.

They all sniggered except for Michael who rolled his eyes.

“That’s enough. Luke let your brother pass.” Rebecca berated as she walked in to start making his birthday dinner.

Lucifer stepped aside and they all watched as Castiel breezed past him and charged for the stairs, taking them two at a time with a scowl fixed on his face.

“Who does he have a crush on, Gabe?” Anna asked, tilting her head to the side as she questioned the second-youngest brother who was still smirking.

“Castiel has a crush?” Rebecca asked, turning with a surprised look.

“My lips are sealed until the right moment when I can speak of what I know.” Gabriel said simply, sticking the icing in the fridge to harden a bit before he set about licking the spoon with a proud look on his face.

\----------

When the evening rolled around, Castiel could smell the food even from his room and knew that he was expected to come downstairs. As with all of his family’s more important dinners, there was a certain level of dress that was agreed upon. It was not only respectful to the person being honored on that day but they always liked to take pictures of the family on those occasions and Rebecca would always instruct that they had to look nice. He walked to his closet and began looking through his clothing to find something appropriate.

He stood in front of the mirror as he tied his tie, sighing heavily before leaning down to make sure his shoes were tied. When he walked out, he came across Anna smiling at him.

“We have a surprise for you.” she said, fixing her dress before reaching out to hold his hand.

“Oh yes, because I love surprises.” He said dryly, following her down the stairs as he adjusted his tie.

“You’ll love this one.” She said confidently.

They walked in to see Jo standing there among his family. She turned and grinned at him.

“Well look who’s all fancy.” She said, reaching out to touch his tie with a grin.

He flushed and shook his head.

“Thank you for coming. I don’t know if I could have survived this night just with my family.” He admitted as they walked to the table.

“Anytime.” She murmured back, leaning into him before they sat down at the table.

“It’s so good to have you here, Jo. We don’t get to see Castiel’s friends around here enough.” Rebecca said as they began serving their plates.

“I’m happy to be here. It’s not every day my best friend turns eighteen.” She said, smiling politely as she loaded her plate with broccoli.

Conversation went on as normal for about fifteen minutes, everyone praising Rebecca on the meal as they ate. Then, apparently, his siblings decided to start humiliating him again.

“So, now that the best friend is here… perhaps you could enlighten us on Castiel’s crush since Gabriel and Cassie himself are keeping mum about it.” Lucifer said.

“Yes, we are ever so curious.” Anna claimed, leaning forward with a smile.

 Castiel’s eyes narrowed and he glared around at them as Jo looked at him with wide eyes.

“Sorry.” She said with a secretive smile. “Best friend’s privilege.”

They all laughed and Chuck reached over, patting her arm.

“I don’t know about everyone else but you’ve certainly managed to impress me. Not a lot of people can claim that they kept their wits against the Novak family questioning.” He said.

“It wasn’t that hard. Though I guess that living with my family being a bunch of nosy people gives me an edge.” She shrugged.

Castiel shot her a grateful look as he ate his steak. When they all finished eating, Rebecca announced that it was time for pictures before the cake was cut. Jo offered to take the family’s pictures as they crowded in front of the fireplace. Unbeknownst to them as they organized themselves and Castiel stood off to the side with his hands in his pockets and his face relaxed into a slight smile, she pulled out her own phone to snap a few pictures of her unsuspecting best friend. She put it away before anyone noticed except for Gabriel who shot her a conspiratorial wink and dragged his little brother into the middle of the group, reaching up to muss his hair before Jo started snapping shots of the good-looking family.

Eventually they all dissolved into laughter and the pictures became more and more candid instead of formal. The unplanned pictures were Jo’s personal favorites as she looked through them quickly. Rebecca took the camera from her with a grin, pushing her to stand with Castiel as they took a few of their own pictures together, including Jo jumping on his back and Castiel hugging her tightly as she laughed.

When they were done with pictures, they drifted back into the dining room to clear the table for the cake. Jo hung back a little, typing on her phone quickly as she sent the picture of Castiel to the intended source. A grin formed on her face as she tucked her phone back into her pocket and ran into the dining room to help out. Once the table was empty, everyone sat down as Gabriel and Rebecca disappeared into the kitchen to ready the cake. When they started carrying it out, the entire thing lit up with candles, everyone stared at it with wide eyes.

“Gabriel that’s disgusting!” Anna exclaimed as they looked upon the dessert.

On the plate sat an extremely realistic looking heart with a fake scalpel stabbed into it. The chocolate cake was brushed in red raspberry sauce that leaked off the sides and made it look like it was realistically bleeding. Below the cake on the plate was Castiel’s name written along with ‘Happy Birthday’ as was normal.

“That is seriously realistic.” Lucifer claimed as Gabriel set it down with a proud grin.

He didn’t care what his other siblings said. His eyes were fixed on Castiel who leaned over the table with wide eyes to inspect the cake. After several moments, a wide grin formed on his face and he looked up at his big brother with an amazed look in his eyes.

“I love it.” he said, reaching out to pat Gabriel’s shoulder before returning his concentration to the cake.

Chuck snapped away some pictures as everyone sang for Castiel and he blew out the candles. The other siblings were hesitant to eat the heart cake but Castiel and Jo dug into it along with Gabriel and the Novak parents. Everyone laughed and talked together as they ate the entire cake in one sitting, no one wanting to leave any of the delicious dessert left as they all praised Gabriel’s amazing baking abilities.

\---------

Dean sighed as he heard his father washing up in the bathroom. So far, they’d managed to avoid talking about the grocery store incident but he knew that they would have to discuss it soon. He felt the weight and stress of the situation settling on his shoulders just as his phone beeped to signal that he received a message. Pulling his phone out with a confused look, he saw that he had a message from Jo and opened it. His eyes widened and his heart skipped a beat when he saw the picture. Cas was grinning as he watched something that Dean couldn’t see. His hair was perfectly mussed and he was wearing a nice outfit.

**It’s his birthday today. I’ll send you his number in another message. He’d be happy to hear from you.**

Dean smiled slightly, thinking of Castiel celebrating what was most likely his eighteenth birthday. He sat there staring at the picture for several more minutes until his phone buzzed again with another notification. It was another picture with a phone number attached to it. Castiel was grinning down at a realistic heart-shaped cake with his eyes shining and the candles on the came smoking as if they’d just been blown out. He heard the water of the shower cut off and he thought for a moment before clicking on the phone number and starting a new message chain.

\----------

Castiel was sitting on his bed in his pajamas glancing over the new medical book that Michael got him for his birthday. He had several new presents but what he most enjoyed was that once the topic of his crush was dropped, he actually had a good time with his family and Jo. As he closed the book and reached over to turn off the light, his phone buzzed on his pillow, the screen lighting up to alert him to a message. He picked it up and glanced at it with a furrowed brow.

**Happy Birthday, Cas. Jo gave me your number. I hope it was a good one. I’ll see you Monday.**

**Dean**

Castiel’s eyes lit up and his cheeks flushed as he read the message over and over again. Happiness filled him and suddenly he couldn’t deny that this was the best birthday he’d ever had.

\----------

Dean walked into his bedroom with slumped shoulders, rubbing his forehead before glancing back to ensure that his father was, in fact, passed out on the couch once again before they could discuss anything. He sighed heavily and closed the door, switching off the light and stripping down to his boxers before flopping into the bed. Dean was lying there for a few moments before his phone buzzed in his pants. He remembered the text that he sent and leapt up, digging the phone out and looking down at the message.

**Thank you. Hearing from you made the day even better. I’ll see you soon.**

**Cas**

Dean grinned and fell back onto the bed reading the message over and over again. When he had it fully memorized, he went back to the two pictures to glance over them several times before the heaviness of his eyes won out and he fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the next chapter, a surprise face shows up.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry this is so short! I’m not going to give a summary for this chapter because it’ll give stuff away. I plan on updating this really soon (tomorrow morning-ish) so you won’t be left waiting for too long. Please forgive me for the length!

_“There are no more excuses.” Castiel said, running a finger over the desk._

_“Excuses for what?” Dean said, glancing up from the papers._

_He smiled slightly, reaching across the desk to stroke a hand over the mechanics cheek._

_“My birthday was a few days ago. I’m legal now. No more excuses.” He said, walking around the desk and pushing the chair away._

_Dean stared up at him with wide eyes as he positioned himself in front of it and pulled him up to a standing position._

_“You can have me.” he whispered, staring into his green eyes._

_“Cas…” the older male breathed._

_“I want you, Dean. Please…” Castiel murmured, skimming his lips over his throat._

_“C-Cas… this is… I can’t…” he stammered._

_“You want me too, Dean. I know that you want me too.” The younger male said, trying to convince him._

_Dean groaned as their hips came into contact, blood rushing to his lower body. Castiel leaned up and his lips ghosted over Dean’s lips._

_“Tell me you want it too.” He urged, his hands sliding under Dean’s shirt to touch his bare skin._

_The mechanic shivered at his touch, leaning forward to kiss him deeper._

_“God Cas… I want you.” he moaned against his lips._

_Castiel smiled, pulling him closer as he sat up on the desk._

_“Then take me.” he whispered._

He sat up in bed, his eyes wide and his chest heaving. He glanced down at his tented boxers and inhaled sharply.

“Fuck!” Dean cursed loudly, throwing the covers off and running for the bathroom to take a cold shower.

\----------

He paced back and forth, trying and failing to banish the dream from his mind.

“You got an itch boy?”

He looked back at Bobby to see him staring up at him from his desk.

“I have a problem.” He admitted before turning to pace again.

“You got several problems, Dean. That’s about the story of your life. Which one are you referring to right now?” the older man questioned.

He turned to him again, hesitating before groaning and collapsing into a chair.

“I have to go to that school and teach tomorrow.” He sighed.

“Yeah, it’s your job. As far as I know, you used to like it. Care to tell me why it’s suddenly making you white as a ghost?”

Dean stared up at him, rubbing his jaw with frustration.

“There’s a student…” he began.

Bobby sat up straighter.

“One of those spoiled punks giving you trouble?” he asked.

He sighed, shaking his head.

“Beyond belief but not in any way that you can imagine. He’s just stuck with me and I can’t shrug him. It’s never happened to me before.”

The older man nodded.

“He got a shitty home life? Been abused? I was always waiting for you to find someone you could connect to.”

Dean stared at him with confusion before realizing that Bobby was thinking far better of him. He thought that he was helping out a troubled kid instead of having dirty dreams about one.

“I-I have to go. Sorry Bobby. I need to check in on my dad.” He said, jumping up.

“Dean.” The older man said, sounding confused.

He sighed and turned back.

“I’m not a good guy, Bobby.” He admitted, disappointment in himself filling his voice. “Sometimes I think I’m worse than my dad.”

Bobby frowned up at him, looking ready for an argument.

“I just keep proving myself right.” he said in a quiet voice, turning to walk out before the older man could argue.

\----------

Dean tapped his foot on the floor over and over again as he stared out at the empty garage. His eyes kept going back to the red Chevelle. Every once in a while, a flash of his dream would go through his head and he would imagine bending Cas over the car and… he cut himself off, shaking his head. He had to stop allowing his train of thought to go there or he would never be able to banish the thoughts from his mind. After a few more minutes of trying and failing to avoid thinking about the blue-eyed teenager, a loud knock sounded on the door to the garage.

“It’s open!” he invited, almost wishing he hadn’t when the person walked in.

“Hello Dean. Do you mind me being in here? This is my off period and I would usually be studying in the library only I don’t have anything to study and I wanted to come talk to you about what happened last week.” He ranted, sounding breathless as he did so.

Dean stared at him for several moments, his eyes taking in his jeans and dark blue t-shirt. He shook his head and sighed.

“It’s fine, Cas. You can come whenever you want.” He found himself saying.

The teenager smiled, moving to sit in a metal chair.

“How is your father? I never got a chance to apologize for attacking him. I wasn’t really thinking when I did so.” he said, staring at Dean.

“He’s fine. There’s really no need to apologize. I kinda wish you’d kicked his ass a little more.” Dean waved off.

The younger male sighed with relief and sat back.

“How was your birthday?” Dean questioned.

“It was good. Thank you for messaging me. It was a welcome addition to an already good day. My brother, Gabriel, baked me a cake in the shape of a real heart as a reflection of my desired profession.” He answered.

Dean nodded.

“Yeah I saw that. It was pretty great.” He agreed.

Castiel gave him a confused look and Dean immediately backtracked, realizing what he said.

“I mean… Jo sent me a picture when she gave me your number. It was an awesome cake. Your brother should have a bakery or something.”

The dark-haired teenager nodded, Dean’s slip up forgotten.

“I will pass on the sentiment. I’m sure he’ll be all the more egotistical for it.” he said, smiling slightly.

Several moments of silence passed and Dean couldn’t take it.

“Do you have plans for Thanksgiving?” he asked, not wanting to let the conversation taper off so that his thoughts were engaged on something other than ripping Castiel’s clothes off of him.

The smile faded from his face and his eyes became shadowed.

“A few members of my family are coming to Lawrence to spend the holiday with us.” He informed Dean.

“Is that a bad thing?” Dean questioned, confused as to why he looked almost angry about it.

Castiel’s eyes lifted and he stared at him.

“I am not exactly close to these family members, they weren’t very friendly when I was young.” He admitted.

Dean nodded, glancing down at his hands.

“My brother and his fiancée are coming, I think. We’ll probably have dinner with Bobby and the Harvelles.” He said.

Castiel looked up at him.

“That sounds lovely. I’m sure you’ll have an excellent time.” he nodded, smiling slightly.

Dean huffed out a breath and smiled back hesitantly.

“So you think you’re gonna win the car this year?” he asked, glancing out at the still stripped down vehicles.

“I’m not sure.” Castiel said, looking over his shoulder at his own car. “If I do, I’ll only have you to thank for teaching me every necessary thing in order to do so.”

Dean smiled, leaning forward on the desk.

“Flattery will get you nowhere, Cas.” He said.

Castiel leaned forward as well, smiling wider.

“It can’t hurt, though.” He reminded him.

The mechanic laughed, all troubled thoughts gone as he spoke freely with the teenager.

“I guess you might need a fancy car when you’re going off to college. You gotta impress the gentlemen there, after all.”

Castiel’s smile twitched and he looked down at his hands.

“I doubt that there will be any males there that I wish to please.” He sighed.

Dean frowned.

“That is not the right way to think about college. I’ve never been but my brother has and he found a girlfriend his first year. You have to have hope.” He said, encouraging him.

Castiel looked up at him.

“Given that I already know the exact male who meets my standards, I cannot imagine that any college boys can live up to it.”

Dean’s mouth went dry as he swallowed hard. He didn’t realize that they were both leaning in even closer.

“Yeah? What male is that?”

The corners of the younger man’s mouth lifted slightly.

“It’s a secret, Dean.” He murmured.

Dean stared into his eyes for a moment before glancing down at his perfectly shaped mouth. He licked his lips before looking back up into his burning blue eyes.

“Cas…” he began, not even knowing what he was going to say.

His voice was rougher than he meant it to be and he saw Castiel’s pupils widen a bit, the blue of his eyes darkening a shade. He never got the chance to say anything else as the door flew open and a giant interruption walked in.

“Dean.” The newcomer said as they both looked up at him, Castiel’s eyes slightly wider as he took him in.

The mechanic stood slowly, his eyes widening.

“Sammy? What the hell are you doing here?” he asked.

His brother launched forward and yanked him into a hug.

“It’s Sam.” he said simply.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanksgiving. Family drama. Castiel and Dean both leave their respective family celebrations and find each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are going to be a few scenes that take place directly after the last chapter but after that there’s going to be a little time skip to Thanksgiving week. Don’t worry, it is not going to be without drama and a Dean/Castiel scene that will make you all very happy. It also switches POV’s between them for a reason.
> 
> Castiel and Dean might get out of character here and I apologize. I’m having a lot of issues and this chapter was hard to write. It’s kinda crappy in my opinion but I want to update for you so I apologize.

“What are you doing here?” Dean asked as they pulled away.

Castiel remained silent, torn between averting his eyes from the brothers and watching them curiously. Because of his conflict, his eyes kept darting between them and his hands that were fumbling with the hem of his shirt.

“Bobby called me, he said…” Sam cut off when he noticed the dark-haired teenager sitting there looking awkwardly out of place.

He looked back at Dean with confusion as his older brother looked slightly guilty.  
“Hey, uh… Cas.” He said, getting his attention.

Castiel looked up, his eyes wide and focused entirely on Dean. Sam watched as they looked at each other.

“This is my brother, Sammy.” He said, pointing at the taller Winchester.

Sam nudged him and rolled his eyes, still trying to figure out what was going on.

“It’s Sam.” he said, holding a hand out to the kid that looked older and more mature than the fifteen-year-old that he vaguely remembered.

“It’s nice to meet you, Sam.” Castiel said, standing up to shake his hand. “I’m Castiel Novak.”

“Yeah I remember your brother, Gabriel. He was in my year. How is he?” he asked.

“He’s fine, as much of a nuisance as ever.” Castiel said, glancing at Dean out of the corner of his eye before stepping away from the table.

“I’ll leave you two alone.” He said.

“Oh that’s really not necessary, Castiel. I was interrupting you two and I can see Dean after he’s done with teaching.” Sam said, trying to excuse himself.

“No you’re… you’re brothers and you should be alone. I’ll see you soon, Dean.” Castiel said, waving at him as he walked towards the door.

Dean glanced at Sam with a hard look in his eyes as the door slammed shut.

“What?” he asked, confused as to why his brother had a hostile look in his eyes.

He sighed and shook his head.

“Not that I’m not thrilled to see you but what are you doing here?” he asked, pulling Sam to the Impala sit on the hood with him.

Sam gave him a hesitant look, knowing that he wouldn’t react well to the answer.

“Bobby called me. He said you talked yesterday and he’s worried about you.” he replied.

Dean huffed, rolling his eyes.

“That’s stupid. Thanksgiving is next week and I am fine. You shouldn’t have come. Don’t you have classes?” he questioned.

Sam shrugged.

“I talked to my professors and told them that it was a family emergency. They’re letting me submit stuff through email and I have my books. Dean, it’s really no problem. You shouldn’t have to deal with Dad on your own. I can be here for you sometimes, you know. I mean, I owe it to you for…”

“You don’t owe me anything, Sammy.” Dean cut him off, not wanting to hear it.

Sam looked up at him with a hint of guilt in his eyes.

“You pay for my college, Dean. I should have a full ride but you pay for whatever the loans don’t. I owe you everything.”

He shook his head.

“It’s not your fault and we both know it. If Dad hadn’t…” he trailed off, sighing. “It is what it is, Sam. Neither of us can change it and I promised you a long time ago that you were going to get a college degree if it killed us both. I’m just delivering on that promise and nothing you ever say or do is going to change my mind.”

Sam stared at him, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.

“Bobby’s really worried about you. He think you shouldn’t have Dad in your apartment.”

Dean looked back at him.

“Where am I supposed to put him then? On the streets? He certainly didn’t survive long in Bobby’s house without attacking the mayor’s family in a grocery store.”

Sam sighed heavily, adopting a bitchface.

“You don’t have to take care of him, Dean. There is no rule that says you have to put up with his shit. If he was ever a good dad, maybe you might owe him now but he wasn’t. He was always drunk and horrible. You deserve a life without putting up with him interrupting it. You deserve to have friends without him trying to attack them.”

Dean frowned at him, unsure of what he meant.

“Castiel. I know that you two are more than just teacher and student and that’s okay. It’s all right to have friends in these kids especially since you’re not too far from his age. I know that it bothers you more than anything that Dad threatened him. I know just as well as you do that our friends seeing how he acts is embarrassing. It always has been. Why do you think I never brought any of them home when he actually had a home for us? I would have rather walked on glass than have them see him drunk and angry like he always was.”

The older Winchester clenched his jaw, leaning back as he took in Sam’s words.

“You don’t owe him anything, Dean.”

\----------

“I half expected for you to be in the garage again since you don’t have art anymore.” Jo said, finding him sitting at his locker.

“Dean had a visitor. I left them alone to converse.” He replied, looking up at her as he stood up.

“Who?” she asked, furrowing her brow in confusion.

“His brother.”

Her face lit up and she grinned, letting out a delighted laugh before grasping his hand. Castiel let out a shocked noise as the small blonde took off at a run, dragging him out of the school and towards the garage.

“I can’t believe Sam is here! We have to get there before he leaves!” she called over her shoulder, pulling him faster.

“I doubt he’s going to slip by us!” he huffed back, speeding up to spring beside her.

They got to the door and she slammed in, letting out a squeal and leaping onto Sam as he stood up.

“Hey Jo.” He said warmly, grinning as she squeezed him.

“Did you meet Castiel?” she asked, separating from the younger Winchester as she grinned up at him.

“Yeah, he was in here earlier.” Sam nodded, waving at him as Dean stood up.

Jo glanced over her shoulder.

“Of course he was.” she said knowingly.

Castiel flushed and stepped away to walk to his car as she conversed with the Winchester brothers easily.

\----------

The week went by too quickly for Castiel. Because his brother was in town, Dean didn’t spend much time at the school outside of class so he was stuck studying in the library. They were working on fixing the seats in their cars so the mechanic was bouncing around form car to car helping everyone. Castiel was disappointed. He’d grown used to their conversation and just when it seemed that they were growing even closer, their time together was limited and Dean was too busy to really devote any time to talking to him. That didn’t stop the older male from looking at him from time to time.

Castiel could feel his gaze on him when he was working on the car. His head would immediately lift and he would search out the green eyes that he knew were on him. When he found him somewhere in the garage, Dean would grin at him. One of his eyes would quickly wink before his attention went back to the other student that he was helping. Castiel would flush and Jo would roll her eyes as he went back to his work. One day, the blonde decided to let him in on something he’d been unsure of.

“He’s flirting with you.” she said simply as they walked away from the garage.

“Hmm?” he asked, looking over at her.

Jo smirked at him.

“Dean is flirting with you. Of course that’s a primary aspect of his personality but… I don’t see him flirting with me or Meg or Gordon… do you?”

Castiel stopped and watched as she skipped off looking pleased with herself.

“But what does that mean?” he asked, hurrying to catch up with her after a few moments of surprised stillness.

\----------

“This is a horrible idea.” Dean announced as he laid underneath the truck and worked on the parts.

“It’s a good chance for us all to talk to him together.” Sam replied as he sat next to the truck.

He scoffed and shook his head.

“Yeah with Jo and Jess there as well as Ellen and Bobby. This is our issue and our business, Sam. We don’t need to drag it to Thanksgiving.” He said.

“Dean you know that Dad will be on his best behavior, especially with Jess, Ellen, and Jo around. It’s the best possible time for us to bring it up.” Sam replied.

Dean slid out from underneath the truck and sighed as he stood up, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

“When this all falls apart, you remember that I warned you.” he said, pointing at his brother before throwing the hood open and inspecting underneath it.

\----------

“This is a horrible idea.” Castiel sighed as he reclined on his bed.

“What is?” Anna asked as she leaned against the bed on the floor.

“Getting our extended family sitting down at one table.” He replied.

“I don’t know, I think we’ll all get along swell.” Gabriel said from where he was sprawled next to him, smirking as he knew that it wasn’t going to happen.

The only Novak daughter rolled her eyes.

“It won’t be nearly so bad as you think.” She said.

They both looked at her doubtfully.

“Two Thanksgivings ago, Uncle Zachariah tried to convince me that I had a demon in me because I expressed that another guy was good looking.” Gabriel reminded her.

“When Lucifer came out as gay, he threatened to send me to a reform school if I ever decided to be a pansy ass faggot like him.” Castiel said. “I wasn’t even in the double digits of age yet.”

Anna sighed and turned to look at them.  
“And you know that Dad always tells him that he’s not allowed to say that stuff. If he does anything appropriate, he’ll have to leave.” She said.

“No he won’t.” Castiel scoffed, pushing off of his back to sit up.

“I hate to say it, but Cassie’s right. He never gets forced to leave no matter how bad he is. We’re all just forced to deal with him.” Gabriel agreed, for once not sounding like he was joking.

Anna shook her head.

“I won’t let him say or do anything against you, Castiel. I promise.” She said reassuringly.

\----------

Dean sighed as he helped Ellen and Jess set out the food. He could hear John and Bobby discussing the football game in the living room. Jo and Sam were in there as well but they were remaining silent.

“I am glad we were able to be here, Dean.” Jess said, kissing his cheek before grinning at him.

“You and me both, Jessica. You’re as beautiful as ever. Sammy’s a lucky guy.” He acknowledged as they set out the desserts on the counter.

“Well, yeah.” She said, smirking as she shrugged.

Dean let out a barking laugh and began putting serving spoons into the food.

“I’m a lucky girl too, though. You raised him well.” Jess said knowingly, patting his hand before moving to set the table.

\----------

“What schools are you planning on applying to, boy?” Zachariah asked, shoving a bite of food in his mouth as he studied Castiel with scrutiny.

“I haven’t narrowed them all down yet but I am applying to Johns Hopkins, William and Mary, Brown, and Dartmouth.” He answered, chills running down his spine as his siblings gave him sympathetic looks.

At the end of their high school days, they all got the interrogation from Zachariah whether they wanted it or not. It was why Castiel was dreading Thanksgiving for days before it happened.

“Hmm… perhaps you should apply to Harvard and Yale as well. Their pre-law programs are quite excellent.” The man said.

Castiel took a deep breath, shaking his head slightly.

“I’m not doing pre-law, Uncle. I’m doing pre-med.” He corrected him.

Zachariah suddenly adopted a look like he had something nasty smelling underneath his nose.

“Oh yes, I forgot.” He said, looking disgusted.

Castiel clenched his jaw and took a deep breath before continuing to eat his food.

“Do you have a girlfriend who is going to be following you to school?” Zachariah questioned.

His head shot up and he stared at him.

“No, no I don’t.” he said, confused as to why his uncle was interested.

“Good, it would be a shame for you to be so tied down. It’s best to wait for a romantic life until after you’ve established yourself at school.” Zachariah nodded, sounding slightly proud.

Instead of making him feel better, Castiel felt insulted. His mother must have seen it in his eyes because she looked like she was about to jump in to change the subject.

“Actually I don’t think that I would mind it. Going to college with a boyfriend doesn’t sound like it would be too hard to deal with. It would be nice to have someone you love by your side.” He said, staring at his uncle challengingly as the man lifted his head with his eyes bulging.

“What did you say?” he asked.

“I think that you heard me, Uncle Zachariah. I could repeat it if you want me to, if you like. Though if it is necessary, perhaps you should get your hearing checked. I would offer to point you to a nearby doctor but you seem to think that the profession is low so I won’t bother. I’m sure that living without satisfactory hearing won’t change your life too much. You’ll still be deaf to the things in the world that are more important than Ivy League schools and fancy law school degrees.”

Lucifer and Anna both choked on the bites that they were taking and Michael and Gabriel thumped their backs helpfully. Chuck looked slightly amused but he was carefully hiding it from his brother’s shocked gaze. Rebecca was wide-eyed and her hands were over her mouth.

“Did your brother tell you to say that?” Zachariah demanded, glaring over at Lucifer who was enjoying this far too much, a blatant smirk on his face. “Did he tell you to pretend that you suffer from the same affliction to punish me for attempting to help him?”

Castiel narrowed his eyes at the older man.

“It is not an affliction.” He snapped. “I happen to like men more than women romantically and I will not apologize for it, nor should I. It isn’t a disease. And to be a doctor is my choice that is no better or worse than being a lawyer or an artist or a baker.”

Zachariah looked at his parents as if expecting them to step in. Both of them remained silent.

\----------

“How is school going, Jess?” John asked, looking at the radiant blonde as they ate.

“It’s great, Mr. Winchester. Thank you for asking.” She replied, grinning at him.

“Oh call me John. You think my boy is doing good too?”

“Dad.” Sam sighed, shaking his head as everyone ate their food.

The Winchester patriarch stared between them with questioning eyes.

“What? I just want to hear how you’re doing from another source.” He shrugged.

“He’s great. He’s so good at everything, I’m always amaze that he can keep it all up.” Jess said, rubbing Sam’s shoulder comfortingly.

John nodded.

“I used to think that Sam should join the army. He’d be so good, so dedicated.” He said.

Dean’s grip on his fork tightened as he could already see where the conversation was going. Jo’s hand touched his knee as if to keep him calm.

“Of course Dean would have been a damn good soldier too if it hadn’t been for… well, you know.” He sighed.

His knife clattered to the plate as everyone else’s eyes widened.

“For what, Dad?” he demanded, staring openly at his father as he was tired of his constant remarks on his sexuality.

“You know what I mean, Dean. Your preferences.” He said, obviously trying to avoid using the word.

“You mean the fact that I’m gay?”

John flinched as everyone watched with wide eyes, all content to be silent for the moment. The oldest Winchester stared back.

“You’re going to want to take some of that attitude out of your voice, Dean. It’s inappropriate for you to speak to me that way.” he said in a low voice.

“It’s inappropriate for you to keep finding ways to say that my tastes are disgusting to you! I don’t need you to evaluate my life. It’s going fine without you sticking your nose into it so let’s keep it that way!” Dean snapped, feeling sorry for causing a scene since that’s exactly what he figured his father would do instead of him.

John was taken aback as everyone else watched Dean.

“You were an army man and look how it worked out for you. You’re a homophobic drunk with anger issues! At least I have two steady jobs, friends, and people that like me!” Dean snapped, glaring at him. “You have four arrests in a year, a shattered relationship with both of your sons, and no place to live except for your kid’s couch! You’re pathetic and you can’t get over your hate for a second to realize that your faggot of a son is the reason your ass is still alive!”

Everyone stared at him in shocked silence and Dean finally realized what he said, knowing that he snapped and that he shouldn’t have let his father goad him into that.

\----------

Castiel stood abruptly.

“You were horrible when I was younger. You constantly verbally and emotionally abused my siblings and I as well as my father and my mother. I wish that I had the power to tell you that you are not welcome in this house but that is not my decision. What I can decide is whether or not to remain in your god-awful presence. That is a relatively easy choice. Mother, Father, I apologize but I do not have to deal with his negative commentary on my life. Your dinner will most likely be more enjoyable without me present so I will take my leave.”

Rebecca leapt up as he walked away.

“Castiel!” she said, shocked enough that she could only utter his name.

He turned back, his eyes burning as he did so.

“You could have stood up for me so that I did not have to do it myself.” He murmured before charging out of the room and grabbing his keys off of the table in the entryway.

\----------

“I’m sorry.” Dean mumbled, stumbling away from the table. “I didn’t mean to say any of that. I’m sorry if I ruined it.”

“Dean!” Sam called as he turned to walk away.

“I just need some air, Sammy.” He sighed as he pulled his keys out of his pocket and walked out to his Impala, jumping in it to drive.

The streets were rather bare because everyone was mostly shut up in their houses with their families. A few cars were out but not many. Dean drove around Lawrence not really having a destination. When he finally saw a car that he recognized, he did a double take and screeched to a stop, backing up to pull into a parking space outside of the park on the river. He saw a figure far off sitting at a bench not far from the water. He climbed out and walked to him slowly, confusion filling him as to why the other male would be there.

“Cas?”

The dark-haired teenager jumped and he glanced over his shoulder.

“Dean?” Castiel straightened up, looking confused. “Why aren’t you with your family?”

He sighed, moving to sit on the bench next to him.

“I could ask you the same question.”

It was then that he noticed that Castiel was in a suit, well mostly. His tie was hanging loosely around his neck and the first three buttons of his shirt were undone. The jacket was hanging over the back of the bench and his sleeves were rolled up. The younger male sighed miserably as he stared out at the water.

“Just… family stuff.” He admitted.

“Yeah, me too.” Dean nodded.

They remained silent for a few more moments, both of them just staring out.

“Six months ago, my dad found out that I was gay. Well, I told him. I told him and my brother at the same time. Sammy was supportive just like I knew he would be. Dad was furious though. He called me all sorts of names and threw some stuff around before taking the keys to my Impala. He was drunk but I didn’t stop him. I just watched him go. Next thing I knew, I was getting a call that he got in a wreck and almost destroyed my car. The only reason he wasn’t dead or badly injured was because he passed out at the wheel and was too limp to get any bad damage. He was in the hospital for a week though.” Dean said.

Castiel looked over at him with a furrowed brow, tempted to know why he was telling him.

“As soon as he got out he skipped town without another word, leaving me with a wrecked car and a bunch of hospital bills. I only heard from him a few weeks ago when he got arrested for a DUI. I picked him up and brought him back. I don’t even know where he got the car. I’m just grateful he managed to escape both incidents without hurting anyone else but himself.” He sighed, rubbing his forehead. “Tonight he started going off on me being gay again. I couldn’t have a repeat of what happened. I took the Impala away so that he wouldn’t be able to touch her again. I think the others will be smart enough to keep him from any other cars.”

“I’m sorry, Dean.” Castiel said honestly, looking over at him.

Dean stared back, nodding.

“So what family member of yours made you feel shitty enough that you had to escape the house?” he questioned, hoping that Castiel would feel comfortable enough to tell him.

The younger male sighed heavily, leaning back and shrugging.

“My uncle is a very bigoted man. He looks down on anyone who is unlike him including homosexuals.”

“Sounds familiar.” Dean nodded, eliciting a slight smile from Castiel.

“He has always spoke out against my brothers, Luke and Gabriel, for their personal preferences on gender. Luke is gay and Gabriel is bisexual. He tried to get my parents to send them both to reform camps but they refused, the one time they actually stood up to him. Tonight he learned that I am gay as well and began verbally attacking me for it. He was terrible to me when I was younger. He would not let me play as a child. Instead he would sit me down and force me to read the Bible for hours. If I did not, he would humiliate me. He would emotionally abuse me or even physically punish me on occasion. I grew to hate him though I kept it to myself because he is my father’s brother.” he admitted.

Dean took a deep breath, feeling anger towards this man he’d never even met.

“Tonight I stood up for myself when no one else would. I should feel proud of myself but instead I feel that I may be hated in my own home.”

He reached over and squeezed his knee, getting the darker haired male to look at him.

“No, Cas. You should be proud. You stood up for yourself and that’s a good thing. Screw your family if they don’t see that but I’m pretty sure they do. I saw the way your parents and your brother looked at you at the police station. They adore you and I’m sure that if you go back home, you’ll find out that they took your side after all.”

Castiel stared back at him, relaxing at his words. Then his brow furrowed and he frowned.

“Who will stand up for you, Dean? You can’t always be the one to stand against your father.” He said.

Dean smiled slightly, shrugging as he dropped his hand away from Cas’s knee.

“Not everyone gets to have the same type of family you do, Cas. I know that my family loves me but… we’re all pretty independent. We all stand up for ourselves.” He said.

Castiel tilted his head to the side.

“I would stand up for you, against your father or even anyone else who dared to say or do anything against you.” he said honestly.

Dean stared back at him with surprise, his eyes wide. Castiel looked at him openly, his blue eyes wide with genuine concern.

“Why would you do that, Cas?” he found himself whispering as he moved a little closer.

The younger man inhaled deeply before licking his lips.

“I find you to be worth it.” he murmured.

Dean let out a sigh and closed his eyes, willing himself to pull away before he did something he regretted. Before he could, however, the teenager leaned in and pressed his lips to Dean’s softly. He let out a tiny noise of surprise, his eyes flying open as Castiel pulled away with a hesitant and even scared look in his eyes.

“I-I’m sorry. That was…”

“Inappropriate.” Dean finished for him, his voice no louder than a whisper. “I’m your teacher. I’m older than you and… and your teacher.”

Castiel nodded, biting his lower lip.

“I apologize.” He said quietly, his cheeks turning slightly pink.

Dean shook his head, all hesitation flying out the window at the disappointed flash in Castiel’s eyes.

“Don’t say that.” he breathed before leaning in to kiss the dark-haired teenager once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like that was rushed and I’m sorry if it ruins the story. Please forgive me. My cat died today so I’m kind of a mess. I’ve had her since I was four-years-old so she was sixteen. I’m just pretty messed up and it wasn’t my best writing.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bobby gives John an ultimatum. Castiel and Dean attempt to get back to normal but find it more difficult than they imagined.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who was so supportive. You were all amazing so I wanted to give you an update as soon as possible.

John sat on the porch glaring out at the darkness, waiting on the headlights that would signal his oldest son’s return. He lifted the beer bottle to his lips but suddenly it was ripped away and smashed onto the ground.

“What the hell?” he demanded, standing up and whirling around.

Bobby stood there glaring at him.

“You wanna end up alone or dead? Cause that’s where you’re headed!” he growled.

“Piss off, Bobby.” John grumbled, turning away.

The other man yanked him back and glowered into his eyes despite the fact that John was taller.

“I wish that I could. I really do. But you got two boys that you are screwing to hell with every word that comes out of your mouth and every drink of alcohol you take. I happen to care about those boys so I got to do something about it. So I’m finally stepping in.” he fired back.

John scoffed, staggering back as Bobby shook his head at him.

“You aren’t their father.” John snapped, shooting him a vicious look.

“You ain’t much of a daddy either. They have to have someone to lean on.”

John looked shocked as well as angry. Bobby sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets.

“But if you want to change that, you’re gonna have to work for it. You’re gonna come back here and stay at my house. You’re gonna stop drinking and work at my garage every day when Dean isn’t there. I’m gonna keep all the money you earn until there’s enough to get you in a rehab program.”

John stared up at him, speechless with surprise at his words.

“Or you can keep going the way you’re going and you can get the hell out of here before you do any more damage.”

Bobby backed towards the door, unaware that Sam was on the other side listening to every word.

“It’s your choice.” He said, pushing it open to walk inside as Sam darted away.

\----------

Castiel took a deep breath of the cool night air as he faced the water.

“I was not aware that you felt anything for me.” he admitted, looking down at Dean’s hand that was sitting on his knee.

He could feel the warmth of his hand through the thin suit pants.

“I didn’t think I was being all that sneaky about it.” Dean replied, squeezing his knee lightly.

Castiel glanced over at him, pressing his lips together as he studied him.

“I am not all that observant when it comes to that sort of thing. Unless someone comes out and informs me that they are interested, I will not figure it out on my own.”

Dean let out a chuckle.

“That’s very… you.” he acknowledged.

Castiel considered him for a moment, lifting his chin and letting out a sigh.

“When I thought my feelings were unrequited, I was more content.” He informed him.

Dean frowned with confusion and a hint of hurt, wondering what the hell happened to make him say that.

“You’re not happy?”

Castiel bit his lip and looked at the water.

“I am but… I do not wish to get you into trouble. That is a very real possibility considering that you are not as uninterested in me as I previously imagined that you were. It was easier before you kissed me back.” he explained.

Dean stared at him.

“It wasn’t easier for me. You’ve been in my head and driving me insane.” He told Cas.

Castiel looked over at him.

“Whether I kiss you back or not, I’ll still be thinking about you.” Dean said, shrugging.

The younger male sighed again and stood up.

“You’ve been working at the high school for much longer than I’ve been your student. As much as I would like to ignore it, your position comes with certain expectations that would be defied by any relationship between us that is not friendship. It would be unwise to engage any further despite the fact that I do want to kiss you again.”

Dean shook his head, standing up as well and stepping towards him.

“You always have to be so logical, don’t you?” he said, reaching out to touch his wrist.

Castiel looked up at him as his thumb stroked the skin there.

“Someone must be.” he whispered, regretting the words as he said them. “You are led by your heart, by your feelings. I have noticed that in the past few months of knowing you. It would be difficult for you to separate yourself from that so I must be the one to do it. For both of our sakes, I do not think that it would be wise.”

Dean pulled him closer, for the moment not even caring that this was his student and that he was younger than him.

“So we go back to the way it was? Teacher and student? Acquaintances?” he asked, looking down into the dark-haired teenager’s big blue eyes.

“I do believe that would be wise.” He agreed, itching to close the gap between them but refusing to do so.

Dean nodded, leaning down closer to him.

“One more time, then.” He murmured.

Castiel let out a soft sigh and leaned up, allowing their lips to meet softly as Dean’s hand entwined in his.

\----------

His jacket was slung over his arm as he walked up to the house. Castiel didn’t hear anything as he opened the door and stepped inside. When he turned around from locking it, he saw his mother standing in the entryway.

“I’m sorry.” She said, looking truly regretful. “I should have said something. I should have told Zachariah to be quiet. I just… we’ve always let him rant and rave. I thought that it didn’t bother any of you. You never acted like it did. I was certain that you were able to block it out like your father and I.”

Rebecca stepped forward as she said all of this.

“It’s nothing for you to apologize about, Mother. I recognize that you have to keep a good relationship with him. He’s dad’s brother.” he shrugged.

She shook her head, reaching out to stroke his cheek.

“Your our son. That’s more important.” she said, her voice breaking as her eyes shone with tears. “We made him leave.”

Castiel’s eyes widened with surprise.

“Well, your father did. He told Zachariah that he was not welcome back into our house until he was able to keep his mouth shut about anything that wasn’t his business. He didn’t take to that too kindly. He started saying that you should be sent to live with him so that he could get you back on the right track. Lucifer and Michael stepped in at that point and told him that if he didn’t leave that he would find himself being forcibly thrown out of the door.”

The corners of his mouth turned up and she nodded, expecting that reaction out of him.

“Usually I would be opposed to any of you treating your elders in such a way but… he’s deserved it for quit a while.” she said, leaning in to hug him. “I’m sorry that we didn’t stand up to him a long time ago. I am so proud of you for doing what we couldn’t.”

Castiel nodded, surprised by everything that happened that evening.

“Where did you go?” Rebecca asked, pulling him into the empty kitchen to make him a plate of food.

“To the park by the river.” He said simply, sitting at the island and watching as she bustled around.

“Hey.” Chuck walked up and ruffled his hair. “Sorry about earlier kiddo.”

“It’s all right, Dad. I’m fine.” He shrugged, smiling up at him.

He nodded, sitting next to him.

“Your siblings are pretty worried about you. Once you eat you should probably go tell them you’re all right.” he said.

Castiel nodded, digging into the food as soon as his mother set it in front of him. Rebecca watched him, tilting her head to the side with a calculating look. He froze, staring at her questioningly.

“Everything all right, Mom?” he asked, concerned.

“Yes it’s fine. I just… did something else happen tonight, Castiel?” she asked.

He shook his head, shrugging.

“No.” he lied.

“Hmm…” she said, giving him one last look before moving to clean up the kitchen.

Chuck rose to help her and, once their backs turned, Castiel let out the breath he’d been holding and rubbed his forehead with his free hand.

\----------

“Well after hearing your story, I can’t decide which one of us had a more dramatic Thanksgiving dinner.” Jo claimed as they walked towards the garage.

Castiel’s heart was fluttering in his chest but he tried to ignore it. It was their first day back from break and the first time he would see Dean since the night in the park. He’d remained in the library during his free period to prolong it as long as possible.

“What happened with yours?” he questioned, pretending not to know so that she wouldn’t know that he saw Dean that night.

He didn’t like having to keep it to himself but there was no way that he was going to risk Dean getting in trouble for anything.  
“John, Dean’s dad… he made a bit of a scene. Dean walked out like you did.” she informed him.

Castiel nodded.

“I hope that he’s all right now.” He said as they walked into the room with Meg trailing close behind him.

“I can cheer him up if he’s not.” She said in a sultry voice, walking past with a sway to her hips as she winked at Castiel. “You too, Clarence.”

Jo made a disgusted noise but Castiel wasn’t paying attention. His eyes were drawn to Dean leaning against his desk. His eyes scanned the students and rested on Castiel, a flash of something going through him.

“Come on.” Jo sighed, putting her hand on his arm and steering him away. “You’re torturing yourself.”

His shoulders slumped slightly as he walked to his car and leaned against the frame.

“I’m not torturing myself.” He denied.

She looked at him doubtfully, interrupted from saying anything else by Dean’s voice informing the class of what they were doing that day. They were learning out to change out a car battery. Castiel’s mind flashed back to that night and he smiled slightly as he bent over the car, his eyes immediately falling on the place where the battery belonged. After several minutes of lecture, they were finally let go to insert their battery. He knew that Dean was probably walking around the garage helping people out. When he felt a presence next to him and smelled his distinctive scent, he inhaled deeply and tried not to react too much.

“How’s it going, Cas?” Dean questioned, leaning over the hood as well.

“I’m doing fine… I think.” He said, frowning down at the engine as he tried to remember where the cables connected.

Dean reached out and grasped his hand. Goosebumps erupted on his skin and he shivered at the touch, something that didn’t escape the mechanic’s notice. He gave him instructions in a low tone as he told him which cables went where. Dean watched closely as Castiel connected them with careful precision.

“You didn’t come during your free period.” The older man murmured quietly so that only Castiel could hear him.

“I was not sure if it would be appropriate… or even if I would be welcomed.” He admitted just as softly.

Dean let out a sigh, his hand flitting over Castiel’s again.

“You’re always welcome.” He said as he turned away, his breath ghosting over Castiel’s neck and making him shiver again as Dean passed by him to see how Jo was doing.

Throughout the lesson, Castiel felt Dean’s eyes on him every once in a while. He was the first to finish the car battery so he was sitting there reading ahead in the book. He willed himself not to return the gaze, staring resolutely at the words in front of him. Finally, his will broke and he looked up to see Dean looking into Meg’s engine with her. The young woman was doing everything in her power to keep his attention but he was barely paying her any mind. His eyes were staring straight at Castiel. The younger man flushed and looked down, unable to keep the corners of his mouth from lifting.

Moments later, he felt a very different set of eyes on him. He looked up again and was shocked to see an openly hostile look in Meg’s eyes instead of the flirty look she usually had. Castiel blanched and looked down again, a cold chill running down his spine that was immediately chased away when he felt Dean’s eyes on him once more.

\----------

As the rest of the class packed up, Castiel remained behind. Jo didn’t even blink, waving at him before walking out with everyone else. He ignored the glare that Meg sent him once again, watching as Dean picked up his own tools that he’d brought out to help. When the mechanic was done and they were alone, he straightened up and turned around. Genuine surprise flashed across Dean’s face as Castiel pushed off of where he was leaning on his car.

“This was a difficult class to get through.” He admitted, closing the door and turning around.

His hand flicked the lock and Dean heard it, squinting his eyes slightly at the sound.

“I bet you’re wishing that you’d dropped my class instead of art.” The older male quipped, smirking at him.

Castiel shook his head, fumbling with the hem of his t-shirt.

“I would never wish that.” he corrected him.

Dean sighed and moved towards him slightly.

“I’m sorry if I distracted you. I just really couldn’t stop looking.”

“That night kept running through your mind?” Castiel questioned.

Dean nodded slowly, looking like a child who was caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

“Mine as well.” he sighed, biting his lip as he looked down at his hands. “I can’t seem to let go of it as easily as I thought I would be able to. You aren’t easy to shrug off.”

Dean let out a short chuckle and Castiel looked up at him with confusion.

“Sorry it’s just… that’s not the general consensus of everyone else who’s met me. In fact, a lot of people in my life have an easy time of moving on from me.” he sighed, a hint of sadness in his voice.

Castiel frowned, not liking that idea.

“Then those people are idiots.” He said before he knew it.

Dean looked at him with surprise once more.

“You know what?” he said, looking partly conflicted but also like he decided something.

Castiel tilted his head to the side.

“What?” he questioned.

The older male let out a heavy sigh, shaking his head.

“Screw it.” he said, charging forward.

Castiel’s eyes widened and suddenly they were kissing. He immediately relaxed and responded, pressing back and sliding his hands into Dean’s short hair. They stumbled backwards until his back was against the wall, their bodies pressed together. Dean’s hands went to his hips, sliding into the belt loops of his low-slung jeans as he nibbled on his lower lip. Castiel sighed, repeating Dean’s sentiment in his head. At the moment, it didn’t matter. This felt good and right. Screw it, he wanted to kiss his teacher and he didn’t care about the appropriateness of the situation.

\----------

They were sitting on the floor of the garage. Castiel was leaning into him and playing with one of his hands.

“My dad is staying with Bobby again. He’s working for him to save up money for rehab.”

Castiel moved his head and looked into his eyes.

“That’s good?” he questioned.

Dean shrugged.

“We’ll see how it goes, I guess.”

He nodded and entwined their fingers.

“I hope that it works out for you and your brother. You deserve something good to happen.” Castiel said, squeezing his hand gently.

Dean stared back at him.

“Something good already has happened.” He said, reaching out to stroke his thumb over his lower lip.

Castiel sighed and smiled slightly, leaning in to kiss him softly. Dean caught him before he could draw away and green eyes stared into blue.

“Are we really doing this?” he asked.

Castiel hesitated, considering the words in his head.

“I don’t really know how to stop.” He admitted.

Dean thought about that and sighed.

“I don’t know how either.” He agreed.

Cas took a deep breath and lifted his free hand, sliding it into his hair.

“Then I suppose the decision is made for us.”


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluffy - Dean and Castiel texting and hanging out at the school.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for the delay in an update. I've had writer's block because I'm having a hard time figuring out what I want to do. I know where I'm going with the story but I just am having a hard time getting there. It might be a little rough but bear with me and I'll try to make it as good as possible.

“So tell us about the teaching.” Jess said, looking across the table at Dean as they sat at the booth drinking beer.

She was leaning into Sam, who was beaming down at her. Dean was stretched out against his seat, his arm thrown across the back of the booth.

“It’s great. Bobby got me some great cars to let the kids work on and the students are all great.” He confirmed.

She nodded, reaching out to the plate of cheese fries that they were sharing.

“Is Jo your favorite?” the blonde questioned, dipping the fries into ketchup before popping them into her mouth.

“I’d better be.”

They all turned to see the younger female walking to the table holding their food with a grin. She set it in front of them without having to ask, knowing their orders.

“But if Cas is your favorite, I’ll understand.”

Dean flushed as Sam raised an eyebrow and Jess looked between them all questioningly.

“Who’s Cas?” she asked.

Jo grinned at Dean.

“He’s my best friend and he and Dean are pretty chummy.” She said simply before turning to walk off.

They both looked at him, Sam without surprise and Jess with an interested look.

“Tell me about this Cas.” She said, leaning forward as she picked up her sandwich to take a bite.

Dean sighed and glared in the direction that Jo ran off in before picking up his burger.

\----------

“So? How’s the flirting going?”

Castiel jerked around with wide eyes where he was sitting working on his schoolwork.

“Wh-what? What are you talking about?” he stammered, panicking as Anna bounded into the room and leapt onto his bed.

She sighed and leaned back against his pillows.

“You know! You asked me a few weeks ago how to know when someone was flirting with you? Well you came home earlier looking like you won the lottery so I’m guessing that flirting back paid off?”

Castiel flushed and turned away, shrugging as he tried to hide the slight smile that he couldn’t help.

“I just had a good day at school. It has nothing to do with anything.” He said, staring down at his book.

“Yeah like I’m going to believe that.” Anna scoffed. “You still won’t tell me who the lucky guy is?”

He sighed and turned his chair back to face her, pushing to a standing position.

“There is no lucky guy. There’s an idiot who won’t stop flirting with me and I wanted to make sure that it was actually happening before I told him off for it.” Castiel lied, thinking of Balthazar as he spoke so he knew it wasn’t completely untruthful.

Anna made a noise of disappointment as she stood.  
“And here I thought that I finally had some evidence that you’re a real boy.” She said jokingly, kissing the back of his head before bounding out of his room.

Castiel frowned after her, feeling the slightest bit of hurt at her statement despite the fact that he knew she was kidding. His hand faltered in his writing and he lifted his hand to his head, messing with his hair as he bit his lip. Sighing heavily, he tossed his pen on the table and reached for his phone.

\----------

Dean faltered as they walked out of the Roadhouse, pulling his phone out of his pocket when he felt it vibrate. When he saw the name on the screen, a slight smile flickered across his face.

**It’s hasn’t even been ten hours and I already want to see you again.**

He sighed and typed out his response as he walked towards the Impala where Sam and Jess were already waiting.

“Ooh, who are you flirting with?” Jess asked teasingly, grinning at him as he walked around the car to the driver’s seat.

Dean flushed, shoving his phone back into his pocket once he pressed send.

“I’ll keep that to myself, thank you.” he replied as they all climbed into the Impala.

“Really? You’re not going to brag? You?” Sam scoffed.

Dean shoved him into the door of the car.

“No, I’m not.” He answered with a shrug as he started the car.

“That’s so cute! He’s keeping it a secret because he wants to keep it all to himself!” Jess said, patting Dean’s shoulder with a giggle.

He huffed and pulled out of the parking lot.

“He’s pretty red. I feel like I should keep teasing him because he’d do the same to me.” Sam said, amused by the whole situation.

“Shut up.” Dean grumbled.

\----------

Castiel was brushing his teeth and getting ready for bed as he waited on the reply. He’d given up on doing his homework and was all right with that. Just as he was peeling off his clothes to put on his pajamas, his phone buzzed on the counter. He pulled his jeans off and picked up his phone as he shivered in the chill of the room.

**I feel the same way. Sam and Jess are interrogating me. It’s hard to keep it quiet when I want to tell them what’s making me happy. What are you doing?**

He sighed and felt a pang in his heart. He knew exactly what Dean meant, having felt the same way. He wanted to tell everyone why he was so thrilled with what was going on but they both knew that it was necessary. Castiel quickly typed a reply out before turning back to his clothing to pull it on. He pulled a black t-shirt over his head and a pair of grey sweatpants on before walking out of the bathroom.

His throat was dry so he walked out of his room and jogged down the stairs to grab a glass of water before he went to bed. He heard low murmuring in the living room and made his footsteps quieter, walking towards it to see his parents sitting on the couch both drinking glasses of wine. Chuck leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to Rebecca’s cheek. She flushed happily and returned the kiss with a quick peck on his lips. Castiel watched them for a moment, feeling a yearning in his heart for something so domestic and happy for the first time in his life. It was a strange feeling but he found that it wasn’t unpleasant at all. When he pictured himself in the same position, Dean was sitting with him smiling at him the way that his father was smiling at his mother.

He shook his head and turned away, hurrying to the kitchen to get his water.

\----------

Dean stripped off his jacket as he walked into his place. Jess and Sam were dropped off at Ellen’s house where they were staying in the extra bedroom since he didn’t have one. His phone beeped and his heart skipped a beat as he locked the apartment door. He pulled the device out as he walked back towards his bedroom, kicking off his shoes as he went before collapsing on his bed.

**I’m changing clothes right now. In a few minutes I will be lying in my bed. What are you doing?**

Dean let out a sigh, shaking his head as he knew that it was far too soon for him to be imagining what the teenager would look like sans clothing. He couldn’t help but wonder, though. He banished the thoughts from his head and clicked on the ‘reply’ button. As he typed the reply out, his mind began to wander. All of the sudden, an image of Castiel standing at the foot of his bed slowly stripping off his clothes sprang into his mind. Dean choked, closing his eyes and pinching his thigh painfully to drag himself away from the dirty thoughts and back into the real world where he was about as close to sex as a monk.

\----------

Castiel fell onto his bed after turning off the light, dragging his phone to lift it to his face. His eyes blinked several times as the bright light flooded his vision and he quickly turned the brightness down before lying back on the pillow. At that moment, it vibrated and his heart jumped.

**I just got back from dinner. I’m hanging out in bed until I work up the urge to get up and change so that I can actually sleep comfortably.**

He smiled slightly, imagining Dean face planted into his bed, only lifting his head to text him before falling back down with a tired groan. He typed his reply as he heard his parents walking by to their bedroom, quiet whispers and giggles reaching his ears. Castiel sighed, reaching for his headphones as he knew it would be that type of night. He stuck them in and turned on his relaxed sleeping playlist that wouldn’t bother him even if he fell into a slumber while listening to it. He returned to the texting thread, finishing it off before pressing send and setting his phone on his chest, awaiting a reply from the man who filled his thoughts so completely.

\----------

Dean finally got up, pulling his jeans and shirts off before falling back into his bed, burrowing under the covers and setting his alarm. His phone chirped and he reached for it immediately, his eyes scanning the text as he fell back onto his pillows.

**I should leave you alone so that you can get some sleep. You have to teach a class tomorrow and I have it on good authority that a few of your students are difficult to handle.**

Dean grinned, a chuckle rising out of his throat as he formulated his reply carefully. As he typed, another message from his brother caused his phone to buzz and he waited to read it, sending the text to Cas before clicking over to Sam’s message.

_I don’t need to know a name, but whoever is making you happy, I’m grateful for it. It’s been too long since I’ve seen you smile like that. Keep him around, Dean._

He rolled his eyes, grinning even wider. He couldn’t bring himself to be upset that he couldn’t tell his brother everything because of how giddy he was with what was going on. It was all new so nothing could really bring him down.

_Thanks Sammy. You are so sweet. I just can’t handle it._

Dean sent it, feeling proud of himself as he did.

_Shut up, Jerk._

The reply came quickly and he let out a barking laugh, immediately replying with the automatic response.

_Bitch._

\----------

Castiel was staring at the dark ceiling of the room when he got the new message. He lifted his phone and peered at it with squinting eyes, reading the text.

**Yeah I know what you mean. There’s this one kid, he’s so distracting and just a nuisance during class. I can hardly keep my eyes off of him because he’s so disruptive. It’s really a bother to me.**

He smirked, feeling his chest swell as a feeling of amusement and warmth ran through him.

**What a shame? I wonder who would possibly think that is okay. Distracting a teacher is just rude. How does he do this? I’m sure if he knew, he would rectify his behavior.**

Castiel lay back, closing his eyes and breathing deeply. He was feeling better already after just a few minutes of talking to the other male. It was almost amazing how much Dean had changed and affected his life after they met. His hand immediately grasped his phone as soon as it buzzed.

**Oh he has to know what he does. He looks at me with those blue eyes. How does anyone not stare into those eyes? And sometimes when he thinks I’m not looking, he gives me this look. It’s different from any look I’ve ever seen. Like he wants to attack me in front of the rest of the students, damning the consequences. His thoughts and actions are pretty dangerous, if you ask me.**

He flushed, not realizing that he’d ever given Dean a look that betrayed his inner thoughts. He quickly typed his response out, unable to keep a smile off of his face.

**I am certain that he doesn’t realize what he’s doing. If he knew, I’m sure that his behavior would be fixed immediately.**

Castiel didn’t have to wait long for a response.

**I would tell him not to even dare, because I’ve grown used to this behavior and now I’ll be even more distracted if it doesn’t go on. Then I’ll be forced to keep him behind after class to lecture him on his distracting behavior.**

He laughed, a feeling of bliss relaxing his body as he forgot his sad thoughts in favor of the happy ones that Dean was putting in his mind.

**I’ll have to ensure that his behavior changes, then. I imagine that he’ll enjoy that lecture as much as, if not more than, you.**

He sighed, turning over onto his side as he stared at his phone screen, waiting for the response like a pathetic thirteen-year-old with a first crush. Once again, he wasn’t kept waiting long.

**I guess we’ll see.**

Castiel smirked, typing out his response before tossing his phone on the bedside table.

**I look forward to it. Goodnight, Dean.**

\----------

“So how hard was it?” Dean asked as he locked the door to the garage.

Castiel looked up with a questioning look where he was fumbling with his bag. His excuse was that he’d forgotten to put it in his locker but he knew that he’d brought it because he planned on staying behind in the garage that day. Jo gave him a raised eyebrows look but didn’t say anything about it.

“Changing air filters isn’t easy but with the help of your expert knowledge and incredible teaching, I managed.” He said, standing up with a smirk.

“That’s not what I mean, smartass.” The older man said, rolling his eyes as he walked closer to him. “I mean not looking at me that entire time. I tried to do it for about ten minutes but I gave up. I just can’t stop looking at you.” Dean said, looking slightly amazed and a little frustrated.

Castiel shrugged, leaning back against the hood of his car.

“It was not easy, I will admit. But I was determined to live up to the challenge.” He said.

Dean shook his head with a devious grin.

“You didn’t win the challenge.”

Cas frowned and squinted his eyes at the mechanic.

“I did not look at you with my distracting blue eyes. I didn’t give you any look so I certainly lived up to the challenge.” He fired back.

“No the challenge was not to distract me. By not staring at me, you distracted me again. I kept looking at you to see if you were looking at me. It’s a tangled web.” Dean said, stalking forward with a predatory look in his eyes that had Castiel’s cheeks flushing.

“So there’s really no way to win?” he questioned, pointing out the unfairness of the situation.

Dean shook his head moving within a foot of him.

“I guess I’ll have to keep you every day after class to lecture you on distracting me when I’m supposed to be teaching.”

Castiel grinned, pushing forward to walk the rest of the way into his personal space.

“I’m listening, sir.” He said, looking up into his green eyes.

Dean let out a sigh before pulling him in for a deep kiss. Cas responded eagerly, pressing forward and nipping at his bottom lip.

“I missed this.” Dean groaned against his lips, one of his hands sliding around to the small of his back as the other knitted into his hair.

Castiel sighed, pushing forward and pressing his face into his shoulder. He fisted his hands in his jacket and breathed in his intoxicating scent.

“I have homework and I know that you have to clean up the garage for about an hour. Would you like me to stay around and keep you company?” he asked after a few moments of embracing, looking up at Dean with a questioning glance.

A grin bloomed on his face and his eyes sparkled happily.

“Hell yeah.” He agreed, nodding emphatically.

Castiel smiled back, pleased as he picked up his bag. Several minutes later, he was seated at Dean’s desk with his books stretched out as he half-concentrated on his homework and snuck glances at the other male while he walked around picking up tools and parts to put them back where they belonged. Every once in a while, Dean would stop at the desk and brush his lips over his forehead or lips or he would run his fingers through his hair gently, making Castiel smile up at him with a tender expression. It felt good to both of them. It felt warm and comfortable and real, something neither had experienced before.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter gets a little more angsty. There’s also a shock at the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all of my readers who are so patient and to everyone who leaves comments. You are all so amazing and I love you.

“You would be doing a good service.”

Castiel turned his head to look at Garth, taking a deep breath before saying his line.

“How know you he loves her?”

“I heard him swear his affection.” Garth answered, saying the lines for his character.

“So did I too, and he swore he would marry her tonight.” Another boy said, speaking for another character.

“Come, let us to the banquet.” Garth said.

They were all sitting around the stage speaking their parts. They were all holding their lines and simply reading them off. Castiel glanced at the clock longingly, wishing for the class period to end so that he could go to Dean.

“Claudio!” Miss Talbot said, reminding him that he had a lengthy monologue.  
“Thus answer I in the name of Benedick, but hear these ill news with the ears of Claudio.” He sighed, looking down at his paper. “'Tis certain so, the Prince woos for himself. Friendship is constant in all other things save in the office and affairs of love. Therefore all hearts in love use their own tongues. Let every eye nogetiate for itself and trust no agent, for beauty is a witch against whose charms faith melteth into blood. This is an accident of hourly proof, which I mistrusted not. Farewell, therefore, Hero.”

The bell rang, interrupting them from going any further. They all breathed a sigh of relief and began gathering their things.

“We’ll pick up there next time. Crew, remember we’re meeting Saturday to decorate the backdrops.” Miss Talbot announced as they walked towards the door.

“You’re in a hurry.” Charlie commented as she hurried after him.

Castiel grinned over at her.

“I have something to look forward to.” He said simply, rushing off to change his clothes.

\----------

“We’re rehearsing for a play that is going to be opening in few weeks, the week before Christmas break.” Castiel said, leaning forward from where he was sitting across from Dean at his desk.

The mechanic glanced up at him and grinned.

“Shakespeare, right? You gonna be wearin’ tights?”

The dark-haired teenager flushed and shook his head.

“We’re doing a modernized version. I’ll be wearing a suit.” He replied.

Dean chuckled, sitting back with bright eyes.

“I guess I’m okay with that. You look good dressed up.”

Castiel smiled fondly and ducked his head embarrassingly.

“I have a semi-important part in it. It’s the first time I’ve performed anything since I was Prince Charming in our fifth grade Cinderella play.” He said, messing with the frayed edges of his shirt as he spoke. “I’m a little bit nervous.”

Dean stood, walking around the desk and ducking down to press a kiss to the top of his head.

“I’m sure you’ll do great.” He murmured, massaging his shoulders lightly.

Castiel shivered with delight before looking up at him with his big blue eyes.

“Will you come to one of the shows? There are two, one on Friday and the other on Saturday.” He said hopefully.

Dean’s initial reaction was to recoil and shake his head because he didn’t do plays or the theater in general. It wasn’t that he hated them but he did get bored.

“Yeah.” He found himself saying as he nodded slowly. “Yeah I’ll be at one of them.”

Castiel beamed up and pushed up, kissing him deeply as his hand fisted into the older man’s shirt. Suddenly a knock sounded on the door and they sprang apart as it opened. Castiel turned away and pressed his lips together. Dean whirled around and took a deep breath.

“Hey Dea-oh!” Lisa said, stopping short when she saw Castiel sitting there.

he turned to wave at her, trying to keep an annoyed glare out of his eyes so that she wouldn’t be suspicious.

“Hey Lis. Cas is just hanging out in here in his free period since he comes over here later in the day anyway.” Dean said, sounding perfectly casual.

Castiel nodded in agreement, not saying anything. Lisa smiled up at Dean.

“It’s so nice of you to let him do that. You’re a really great teacher.” She said, putting her hand on his shoulder.

Castiel’s eyes zeroed in on the touch and narrowed. Dean shrugged both her compliment and hand off, looking slightly uncomfortable in a room with his former girlfriend and his current flame.

“Should I leave to allow you to talk in private?” Castiel questioned, standing up.

“That’s not necessary, Cas.” Dean said as the same time Lisa nodded and said, “I think that would be best.”

Dean’s eyes snapped to her and a hint of anger and frustration flashed across his face.

“Cas can stay in here. I’m not kicking him out.”

Both Lisa and Castiel looked surprised at his defensive tone.

“I need to talk to you for a minute, Dean.” She said, her voice quiet and her eyes pleading with him.

Dean sighed and glanced at Castiel before gesturing to the door.

“Let’s go outside.”

Lisa nodded, turning her back to walk out. Dean shot him an apologetic look before walking out behind her and shutting the door. The teenager glanced around with a sigh before sitting down again.

\----------

“What’s going on, Lis?” Dean said once he closed the door.

She turned to face him with an emotional expression.

“It’s Ben.” She admitted.

Dean let out a heavy sigh.

“I know that you care about him so I need your help. I don’t know how to deal with him. He’s asking questions and getting mad when I won’t answer him. He’s started acting out at school. I’m just going crazy trying to deal with him.” she said, sniffling and looking up at him.

He considered her words, taking a deep breath.

“What questions is he asking?”

“Who his dad is, why he’s not around, why I had him so young, and… and why you aren’t always around.” Lisa answered.

Dean shook his head and rubbed his forehead with frustration.

“What do you want me to do?” he asked, not knowing what she wanted yet a bad feeling stirred in the pit of his stomach.

She shrugged and looked down at her hands.

“I just know that you two get along all right and he really looks up to you. I just was thinking…” she cut off, looking conflicted.

Dean stepped back with a horrified look as something popped in his head.

“Fucking hell, Lisa! I’m not telling the kid that I’m his father!”

She looked up at him with shock and shook her head.

“No. No I wasn’t going to ask you to do that. I was just thinking that you could go to him and talk to him. Maybe you could be around for him a little bit more.” Lisa suggested hopefully.

He stepped away with a sigh, turning to run his fingers through his hair.

“Lisa, I can’t do this.” he turned back to glance at her.

She looked sad, biting her lip.

“Dean, I know this is a lot to spring on you but… maybe we can just all go to dinner and…”

“Lisa!” he snapped, causing her to jump and her eyes to widen. “I cannot do this! I like Ben and he’s a great kid but what you’re asking me to do… you’re basically asking me to act like his father even if I’m not his father. You’re asking me to raise the kid of the guy you cheated on me with back in high school!”

Lisa stepped forward, her eyes filled with panic as she reached out towards him.

“Dean please…”

“I’m not his dad!” he exclaimed, stumbling away.

\----------

Castiel looked up with surprise at the loud shout. Before he barely heard the conversation in low murmurs that he couldn’t decipher but this time Dean’s voice rang out loud and clear. He heard a cry of Dean’s name and the door opened and closed with a slam. Castiel jumped and turned his head with wide eyes. Dean was leaning back against the door with one of his arms thrown over his eyes.

“Fuck!” he growled loudly, slamming his fist against the metal door twice out of anger and frustration.

“Dean!” Castiel launched forward and grasped his hand, pulling it away from the door before he hurt himself.

He pulled him away and massaged the red spots on his hand.

“Do you want to tell me about it?”

Dean stared into his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath and pulling him in. Castiel allowed their lips to meld together, his hands fisting in his shirt. When he pulled away, Dean sighed and let his head drop to his shoulder.

“Dean?” Castiel questioned.

“Don’t worry about it, Cas. I’m fine.” He said, pushing away from the door and sliding by him to walk to the desk.

Castiel frowned, turning around as he remained quiet. He didn’t want to push Dean to talk to him. Instead, he could distract him from whatever was going on.

“How is your brother?” he asked, watching as Dean sat down ad ran his fingers through his hair.

“He’s good, yeah. He went back to Stanford to start going to classes again. He wanted to stick around but Jess convinced him to finally go back. I think he just wanted to stay here to make sure I was all right and Dad too. He worries a lot.” Dean answered, sounding grateful for the distraction but still concerned about whatever happened.

Castiel nodded, sitting down as well.

“He seemed very nice when I met him briefly. It’s good that you have a brother that you can speak to.”

Dean nodded, rubbing his chin as he stared off into the distance.

“Perhaps you should call him to talk.”

The older man’s eyes snapped to him and his brow furrowed.

“Why would I do that?”

Castiel looked back up at him with confusion.

“I realize that talking to me about Miss Braeden might be uncomfortable for you. If you need to talk to someone, maybe you should call your brother and speak to him.” he suggested.

Dean let out a cross between a scoff and a laugh.

“Yeah I’m not going to do that.” he said, shaking his head.

Castiel felt a flash of annoyance and felt insulted that the mechanic shot him down like that.

“Perhaps you could also realize that holding things inside like that isn’t healthy and maybe you could realize that I may know what I’m saying.” He fired back, his frustration bubbling over.

Dean’s eyes widened and he sat up straighter.

“Not everything is psychology, Cas. I’m not going to spout out my feelings just because some puffed up guy you studied in a damn classroom says that I should. Real life doesn’t work like that and it’s different than anything you’ve ever read so don’t come to me saying that you and your doctor heroes know better than I do about my life and how I should deal with shit.” He ranted.

Castiel remained quiet for a moment. An emotionless mask slid onto his face that Dean hadn’t seen in the garage. He’d glanced at the teenager when he passed by other classrooms and he saw that look but never around him. Suddenly he regretted tearing into his advice even though he knew that it wasn’t like him to talk to anyone. Before he had a chance to say anything, Castiel spoke.

“I overstepped my bounds. It won’t happen again.” He said in a cold voice, standing up and pushing the chair back.

“Cas wait.” Dean sighed, standing up as the teenager turned to walk out.

He didn’t stop, reaching for the door as Dean darted around the desk. Suddenly the door opened and Castiel stepped back, watching as other students made their way into the classroom without any idea of what was going on between their classmate and their teacher.

“Hey, Cas! What’s up?” Jo said, smiling brightly at him when she saw him.

He took a deep breath and forced a smile onto his face that she immediately recognized as fake.

“Nothing.” He said, allowing her to steer him towards their cars.

The small blonde looked over her shoulder at Dean with a critical look, her eyes narrowed.

\----------

Dean couldn’t wait for class to end. He’d kept a close eye on Castiel only to see that he was treating the entire class period with utter indifference. All of his answers to Jo’s questions were short and clipped. He wouldn’t say a word when Dean approached his car, nodding or shaking his head. When he didn’t have anything else to gesture, he would shrug his shoulders. He knew that he couldn’t confront the teenager during the class so he would have to wait after. Dean knew that, given the chance, Cas would make a beeline for the door again so he had to get ahead of him and the only way to do that was to ensure that his classmates knew that there was an issue.

“When I ask you a question I expect you to answer it.” he said, his voice not raised but loud enough that it carried across the room.

Everyone stopped and looked up at them with surprise. Castiel froze from where he was reading the textbook and turned his head slowly to look at him, a glint of anger in his eyes. Jo gaped between them as everyone else stared openly.

“I have nothing to say, sir.” He shot back in an even tone of voice.

Dean stared back at him, doing his best to look annoyed and done with his attitude.

“Well maybe you can stay after class until you figure out how to use your words.” He said, his own voice leaving no doubt that this was not a suggestion.

Castiel gritted his teeth but didn’t say anything. Dean nodded and turned away, everyone’s heads suddenly turning away from them as if they weren’t watching their confrontation. A few gasps echoed as he walked to his desk and sat down. He looked back to see that Castiel was sitting in his car rather than working. His legs were stretched out of the car and his arms were crossed over his chest.

His eyes were fixed right on Dean as his position gave him a clear view of his desk. Dean raised his eyebrow, leaning back in his chair and crossing his own arms. They remained like that, staring at each other challengingly. Everyone watched for a while but then became bored, glancing back at them every once in a while to see if the staring contest was still going on.

When the bell rang, neither of them flinched. The other students all filed out, glancing back at Dean and Castiel one more time before leaving, all chattering about what happened. Jo hesitated, glancing between them. Dean cocked his head towards the door in a clear message and she sighed, looking at Castiel before walking out as well. The door slammed open and they were left there. After another minute of staring, the dark-haired teenager, climbed out of the car and brushed his clothing off.

“Is there a reason that you chose to humiliate me in front of my peers?” he demanded, walking forward as Dean stood as well.

“You wouldn’t listen to me so I had to do something drastic to get you to stay.” He said, sounding slightly apologetic for embarrassing him.

Castiel glared at him.

“Yes well, now that you’ve effectively got people talking about me, I’m going to go.” he said, turning for the door.

“No you’re not.” Dean said, darting forward to put himself between Cas and the door.

He glared up at him, his blue eyes flashing with anger.

“Let me go.” Castiel snapped.

Dean shook his head, taking a deep breath.

“I need a chance to talk. I didn’t mean to snap at you.”

Castiel clenched his jaw and stared at him, stepping away.

“I don’t talk to people… ever. It’s just not something that I do. You telling me that it would be best to talk to someone about Lisa wasn’t out of line. I realize that you were worried about me but I can’t just tell someone how I feel about stuff. It’s not how I work. That being said, there was no reason for me to lash out at you like that. You were trying to help me and I threw it back in your face.”

His face softened slightly, his body losing a bit of tension.

“Yes you did.” Castiel said, nodding.

Dean raised his eyebrows, waiting for him to say anything else.

“Well?” he questioned.

The teenager stared back equally, not bothered.

“Well, what?” he replied, seeming to know exactly what Dean was talking about.

Dean sighed and shook his head.

“You know what I mean. Am I forgiven? Do you accept my apology?” he asked.

Castiel tilted his head to the side.

“As far as I know, an apology requires you to speak the words, ‘I’m sorry’.” He reminded the older man.

Dean stared at him for a moment before huffing out a laugh.

“Damn, you are never going to make anything easy, are you?” he sighed.

Castiel didn’t deny it, shrugging.

“I wouldn’t count on it. I’ve been told that I’m a rather difficult person and hard to handle sometimes.” He said.

Dean stared into his eyes and shook his head.

“I’m sorry, Castiel. I apologize for snapping back at you when you were trying to help me and I’m sorry for humiliating you in front of your classmates.” He said, trying to sound as genuine as he could.

Cas relaxed the rest of the way, letting a deep breath and stepping towards him.

“I accept your apology, Dean.” He nodded, reaching out towards him and taking his hand.

Dean smiled, pulling him closer.

“Just for the record, I don’t care how difficult or hard to handle you are, you’re worth it.” he said, working on speaking his feelings so that there wasn’t a repeat of this fight.

The corners of the teenager’s lips turned up and that was enough for him. Dean pulled him in and Castiel allowed him to kiss him. Dean’s tongue slid out, sweeping over his bottom lip before begging for entrance. Castiel sighed, reaching up and knitting his hands in his hair as he opened his mouth slightly and nibbled on his lip before deepening the kiss. Before they could process it, the door slammed open.

“Oh holy shit!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is not even touching on the main conflict of the story. Many of you have predicted that Meg is going to be a problem... and you're right. But she's not going to be the main problem. Several inside and outside influences are going to cause problems with Dean and Cas.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel and Dean deal with their interrupter. They’re both dragged out into a social situation by their loved ones when they would much rather not go. A surprise awaits both of them when they get there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pictures for the chapter are here (scroll down to where it says Chapter 13):
> 
> http://lady-annabeth-winchester.tumblr.com/post/58749148546/master-post-for-pictures-in-destiel-hsau

They sat in silence. Dean was behind his desk looking anywhere but at the other two. Castiel was in a chair with his hands folded in his lap and his head bowed. Their interrupter was pacing, her hands twisting around each other. Every once in a while, her mouth would open as if she would say something but she stopped and snapped it closed.

“Listen, Jo…” Dean began, sitting up slightly.

“Not yet, Dean Winchester!” the blonde teenager cut him off, holding a hand up.

Castiel sighed and leaned forward, his head lifted.

“If you just…” he spoke, attracting her blazing gaze.

“You keep quiet too, Castiel James Novak! I am processing things!”

His eyes widened and he straightened up more. Dean saw the look in the dark-haired boy’s eyes and knew that he was about to speak his mind. He began shaking his head, not wanting him to incur the wrath of Jo.

“I recognize that you are surprised by what you witnessed but this is not all about your processing. This is between Dean and I but since you happened to walk in on our intimate moment, we are willing to share a few details with you if you want to hear them. I will not apologize for anything so don’t even ask for it. I am not ashamed and I would hope that Dean feels the same way.” Castiel ranted.

Dean gaped at him openly and Jo stared between them with narrowed eyes. Suddenly her face softened and a smile formed on it. She bounded over, sitting next to Castiel and yanking him into a hug much to his surprise.

“I’m sorry that I was being such a hardass! It’s difficult because I love you both and I wanted to make sure you weren’t doing anything to hurt each other!” she said, breaking away and looking between the two shocked males. “You’re both okay, right?”

Jo reached out and took both of their hands, her face filled with concern.

“Yeah, Jo. We’re fine.” Dean nodded, glancing at Cas.

She grinned wider as they looked at each other with soft gazes.

“Of course I’m happy for you two. I kind of saw it coming but I didn’t think it would happen so soon.” Jo said.

“We didn’t think it would happen at all until it did.” Castiel admitted, looking back at her once he broke his staring match with Dean.

“Jo listen… we’re uh, we’re kinda keeping this quiet for now.” Dean said, glancing at the locked door as if he expected another person to come through.

“Oh yeah! My lips are sealed.” She nodded, her eyes big and filled with happiness.

Castiel relaxed, letting out a small sigh of relief.

“I should be going home.” he said, glancing at the clock to see that he’d already remained at the school for forty-five minutes after the final bell.

“Me too.” Jo agreed, standing up with him.

Castiel hesitated, looking at Dean who stood as well. Jo stood there watching them as they looked over at her.

“Do you think you can give us a minute?” the older man asked, raising his eyebrow at her.

She flushed and nodded, turning to run to the door.

“Sorry! I’ll let you two make out now!” she said teasingly, winking at them before she disappeared through the door.

Castiel sighed heavily, relaxing his shaking hands as he stepped away from the chair. Dean came out from behind the desk and gathered him into his arms, pressing a kiss to the top of his head.

“It’ll be okay, Cas.” He assured him.

Castiel stared up at him, worry in his eyes.

“I know that it’ll be all right with Jo but… what if it had been Lisa again? Or any of the other teachers or my brother or your father? Everything would have been over, ruined. You could have been fired or worse, especially if they assumed that this has been going on since before I turned eighteen.” He said quietly, sounding terrified of the prospect.

Dean frowned, the words weighing heavily on his mind.

“Do you want to stop? I mean, I never want to stress you out too much or…”

He was cut off by Castiel pushing up and pressing his lips against Dean’s.

“Of course I don’t want to stop. That’s the last thing that I want to do.” He breathed, pulling away an inch to look up into the warm green eyes. “But we need to be more careful. We shouldn’t do this at school anymore.”

Dean’s brow furrowed as he tried to figure out what he was saying.

“Where do you want to do it, Cas? I mean it’s not like I can come over to your house and sneak into your room. We can’t go on dates and we certainly can’t be in public places.”

Castiel shook his head, his fingers running through Dean’s hair.

“We’ll figure it out, I know we will. Because I am not letting this go. This…” he gestured between them. “… is the best thing that’s happened to me in a very long time and I’m not letting anything ruin it.”

Dean smiled at that, pulling him into a deep kiss.

“You’re right.” he admitted once they pulled away. “We do need to be more careful. No more make-outs on the school property, just in case.”

Castiel nodded appreciatively, smiling at him.

“I’m very glad that the best possible person discovered us. I know that Jo will be supportive as long as neither of us is harming the other.” he acknowledged.

Dean grinned and glanced at the door.  
“Yeah, she’s a good friend.” He agreed before sweeping down to kiss him once more.

Castiel responded, arching his back up and nibbling on his lip before he stepped away.

“I’ll see you later, Dean.” He said, smiling at him before turning to walk out the door.

He heard a chuckle and glanced over his shoulder to see the mechanic blatantly checking him out.

“What? Your ass looks hot in those jeans.” Dean shrugged.

Castiel rolled his eyes and shook his head as he flushed.

“Goodbye.” He said in an amused tone, opening the door to step out.

“Bye, Cas.”

When he was outside, Jo was waiting on him with his backpack.

“So…” she said, hooking her arm through his as they walked towards the parking lot.

“So?” Castiel replied, looking forward.

She grinned as she looked up at him.

“Tell me everything!”

He sighed, having predicted that this was coming. As he launched into the story, he saw her big smile out of the corner of his eye.

\----------

“John wants to see you.” Bobby said, watching as Dean fixed up a tire on a car.

“Yeah I’m sure. I’m not available.” He answered.

The older mechanic sighed and sat on a crate beside where he was working.

“I’ll believe that when the sun shines out of Rufus’ ass.” He replied.

“Hey!” the other man said from across the garage, glaring at Bobby.

He chuckled and shook his head.

“We have a couple of us going to the bowling alley tonight.”

Dean looked up at him with a raised eyebrow.

“You go back to junior high when I wasn’t looking?” he questioned.

Bobby glared at him, pointing a pen in his hands at him.

“Don’t get smart with me, boy. Rufus and a couple of other guys here are on a team and they want the practice. I agreed to bring you and John. It’s only gonna be a couple of hours and you don’t have to talk to him much if you don’t want to. All you gotta do is show up and look pretty.”

Dean sighed heavily and leaned his head against the cool metal of the car.

“Do I have to, Bobby?” he questioned with frustration.

“Do you want to get your dad 100% clean and sober? Because this is the way to do it.” Bobby replied.

Dean looked over at him and nodded slowly.

“What time do I have to be there?”

\----------

Castiel was barely in the door before Anna and Gabriel jumped out at him, accosting him as he slid his shoes off.

“What?” he asked warily, not at all surprised by their sudden appearance.

They used to love to jump at him from around corners but it became less fun when he learned to expect it and his hearing became sharper.

“We’re kidnapping you.” Anna announced, looking thrilled.

Castiel raised his eyebrows at them as he slid his jacket off.

“Are you?” he questioned.

They both nodded excitedly.

“And I assume there is no point in me arguing?” Castiel said, resolved to his fate as he trudged towards the stairs.

“Nope!” they chorused and he heard his mother laughing from the living room.

Castiel shook his head and began ascending the stairs.

“We’re leaving at seven and it’s going to be chilly outside so wear a scarf Cassie darling!” Gabriel called after him.

He let out a groan and collapsed onto his bed with his face buried in his pillow. He turned over and threw an arm over his eyes, realizing that he smelled a little like Dean after being so close to him. He sighed and pulled his phone out of his pocket, bringing up his name and letting out a short sigh.

\----------

Dean was finishing up a transaction when his phone chirped. He nodded and waved goodbye to the customer before he pulled it out.

**Save me.**

He smiled when he saw who the text was from, pulling up the keypad before setting about to text him back.

**Only if you save me first. I’m being forced to go on a group bonding experience with a bunch of coworkers and my father.**

He shoved his phone in his pocket and walked towards the fire truck that was brought in a few hours ago in need of repairs.

**I’m being kidnapped by my siblings and my mother is apparently on their side. Perhaps we can both escape and run away together.**

Dean let out a laugh and quickly typed out his response.

**Agreed. We’ll take my Impala and go where they’ll never find us. How does Australia sound?**

He put his phone down and began working on the truck.

\----------

Castiel smiled slightly as he sat up, his cheeks flushing as he considered the suggestion.

**We would not be able to drive your Impala there so I suggest we keep it continental.**

He stood and pulled out his textbook to at least get some homework done before he was forced to go socialize.

**Damn. There goes that plan? How about D.C.? Or Manhattan?**

Castiel nodded as he flipped his book open to the appropriate page.

**That is more accessible. You know, I’m not entirely sure that I wouldn’t run away with you. You seem like you would be a good road trip partner.**

There was silence for several minutes and Castiel looked at the phone with worry. Part of him was kidding but the part that wasn’t was feeling very concerned over the lack of response.

\----------

Dean’s eyes widened and then he frowned at the phone.

**What about college and med school? Isn’t that higher on your to-do list than a silly trip with me?**

He put his phone down once he sent it and let several minutes pass before he looked at the reply.

**I have the rest of my life to be a doctor. I don’t have the rest of my life to go on road trips with an extremely attractive man.**

Dean felt a warmth flooding through him as Bobby shouted at him to concentrate more on fixing the truck and less on flirting.

**I’m getting yelled at so I better get back to work.**

\----------

Castiel nodded at the reply before setting the phone down, turning his head to concentrate on the formulas he had to memorize.

**By the way, I would love to go on a road trip with you.**

His chest swelled and he grinned, nodding before he put his phone down and continued studying. Several hours later, he looked at the time only to see that he had thirty minutes before they were going to leave. He straightened up and stretched out before crossing to his bathroom to take a quick shower. When he got out, he dressed and ran his fingers through his hair before digging through his closet to find his jacket for the night. Gabriel bounded in and threw himself on his bed.

“Where are we going?” Castiel asked as he looked for an appropriate scarf.

“Bowling alley.” Gabriel answered, messing with his bedsheets.

He looked back at him with raised eyebrows.

“Seriously?” he said.

His brother grinned and nodded.

“It’s gonna be a good time.”

Castiel rolled his eyes before pulling the scarf around his neck.

“It’s going to be ridiculous.”

\----------

Dean sighed as he pulled into the parking lot, cutting off the roar of his engine as he stared up at the large building. He saw Bobby and his father climbing out of the car a few rows away and knew that they saw him pull into the lot. He hesitantly climbed out, slamming it closed.

“Hey Dean.” John said as they walked up, his eyes skirting over the sleek back exterior of his car.

“Dad.” He nodded curtly.

Bobby glanced between them.

“You taking care of this car?” his father asked, looking like he was itching to open the hood.

Dean stared at him for a moment, already fighting the urge to fire back at him with a sarcastic comment. Bobby gave him a warning look and he took a deep breath.

“Yeah, I’m treating her like a queen. Can we go inside now? I’m freezing my ass off.” he said, shoving his hands in his jacket pockets.

Bobby and John trailed behind him as he tromped inside, shivering as the heat of the bowling alley hit him. He immediately caught sight of Rufus with the rest of their friends setting up at a couple of lanes.

“Look who the cat dragged in!” Martin exclaimed, grinning as they all greeted each other.

Dean nodded at them all, quickly realizing that this night would not be a fun one considering that he was at least twenty-years younger than most of the guys there. His eyes wandered as the annoying music and screams of happy children echoed around him. When he saw something out of the corner of his eye, he looked in time to see the door open to allow three new people to walk in. His heart simultaneously dropped and swelled at the sight of the person in the middle of the other two, one of which was a familiar female with gleaming red hair and the other the recognizable trickster that he knew from his class several years ago.

He glanced nervously over his shoulder, not wanting for his father to see the Novak siblings. He hadn’t been there for the grocery store confrontation between them but he wasn’t eager to repeat it in the bowling alley. Both luckily and unluckily, his father’s eyes were tracking a waitress as she took a pitcher of beer to the group of college aged students near them. Dean narrowed his eyes at him and when John looked around, he caught his hostile look.

“I’m gonna go get a coke, anyone else want anything?”

They all shook their heads and Dean watched as his father walked to the bar where the food and drinks were ordered. When he felt eyes on him, his head turned and he saw Castiel standing at the counter where the shoes were rented with big eyes. Dean offered him a small smile, his eyes flickering up and down his body appreciatively. Cas flushed at the attention before giving him a little wave.

“Who you flirting with, boy?” Bobby asked, causing Dean to whirl around with a pounding heart.

“No one, just scoping out the area.” He said almost too quickly.

The older man looked like he would argue but John walked back up holding a drink. Dean’s eyes flickered over it and Bobby nudged him.

“He’s doing better, you see.” He murmured in a low voice so that John couldn’t hear.

Dean gave him a doubtful look.

“Yeah, that’s assuming the drink doesn’t have a little Captain Morgan added to it.” he said a little too loudly.

The others all quieted, looking at him with surprise as John froze and looked at Dean with a hurt expression. He wanted to feel bad but after the way he’d been treated by his father recently, he didn’t think that the older Winchester had earned the benefit of the doubt yet.

“I’m gonna go get shoes.” He said, turning to walk off towards the counter that Castiel and his siblings were still hovering beside waiting on their shoes.

Castiel was facing away from him talking to his brother so he didn’t see Dean approach. When he walked up, he heard a sharp intake of breath.

“Dean?”

It was the redhead and he realized up close that it was the sibling he’d graduated with, Anna.

“Hey Anna.” He said, watching as Castiel froze for a moment.

She grinned at him, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

“It is great to see you. Wow, you’ve certainly changed since I saw you last.” Anna said, leaning in with a dazzling smile.

Castiel turned around slowly to look up at him.

“Hey Dean!” Gabriel piped up, peering at him with a grin on his face.

“Hey it’s the troublemaker who always broke things.” Dean acknowledged, causing the male to laugh and shrug.

“Yeah well, I guess any reputation is a good one.” He said.

“Not really.” Dean and Castiel said at the same time.

Their eyes met and Dean grinned at him. Anna stepped forward, not noticing their lingering look.

“It’s so crazy that we went to school together and now you’ve taught my two little brothers.” She said.

Both Castiel and Gabriel looked at her with eerily similar burning looks.

“I am hardly little.” Castiel informed her as Gabriel said, “Hey! The best things come in small sizes.”

Dean laughed and turned to the attendant to tell her his size once she brought their shoes.

“I happen to know for a fact that Castiel enjoys your class more than he lets on. You must be a great teacher.” Anna said, obviously flirting with him as she leaned in more.

Dean opened his mouth to say something but the dark-haired teenager beat him to it.

“Oh yes, Dean is very good.” Castiel nodded, his eyes sparkling with a hidden mischievousness

He tilted his head to the side and squinted his eyes slightly.

“He’s very hands on and physical. He makes everything very enjoyable.” Castiel nodded, causing his breath to catch in his throat as something stirred low in his belly.

Dean didn’t know if it was just him, but the blue-eyed boy’s deep voice seemed to suddenly be very seductive and alluring. Anna and Gabriel didn’t seem to notice anything out of the ordinary, nodding as if they knew exactly what he wa talking about.

“It does take a rare person to get Cassie interested in anything but science.” Anna agreed.

Dean’s eyes flickered to Castiel and he saw the annoyance flash in his eyes at the nickname.

“Cas is a great student.” He said, putting emphasis on his own nickname for the other male.

He caught sight of Castiel’s pleased look and was happy that he put it there.

“He’s very eager to learn.” Dean continued, nodding as he kept up the pretense of talking about class when really they were talking about their extracurricular activities.

Gabriel let out a chuckle and threw his arms over Castiel’s shoulders even though he was shorter.

“He’s always eager to learn.” The other Novak brother agreed.

Before Dean could answer, the attendant gave him his shoes and Bobby walked up behind him.

“You ready yet, you idjit?” he grumbled. “We’re all waiting on you.”

Dean turned to him and allowed him to catch sight of the others.

“Bobby, you remember Cas.”

The dark-haired teenager nodded at him, smiling slightly.

“Yeah.” Bobby nodded gruffly.

“These are his siblings, Gabriel and Anna.” Dean introduced them. “This is a good family friend, Bobby.”

They quickly shook hands and then Bobby turned to Dean.

“Come on. We got a game to play.” He announced.

Dean glanced up at the others and smiled, mostly aiming it at Cas as he waved goodbye and turned to walk off.

“God he is as dreamy as he was in high school.” Anna marveled with a sigh.

There was a beat before Castiel said anything.

“He’s gay, Anna.”

Dean grinned, happy that his dry reply didn’t disappoint.

\----------

**You look stressed.**

An hour had passed. Dean and Castiel would both glance at each other across the lanes longingly but somehow neither managed to catch each other’s eyes. All they saw was that the other wanted to be there about as much as they did. Dean sighed and nodded, quickly typing out his reply before his turn came up.

**I didn’t exactly want to use this night to hang out with my dad. Not that I’m complaining. At least I get to see you outside of school even if it is from seventy feet away.**

Dean glanced over to see Castiel pull out his phone and smile sadly. The teenager glanced up and their eyes finally met. He nodded and gave him a smile before turning to message him back. Dean was up to bowl so he put his phone and his pocket and walked up to the lane. He felt his phone buzz and ignored it for the moment, hurtling the heavy ball down the lane and counting his blessings when it hit a strike. The others cheered and he shot them an easy grin before pulling his phone and plopping down.

**I’m taking a break.**

Dean’s head snapped up and turned, seeing that Gabriel and Anna were alone at their lane laughing and poking at each other. His eyes scanned the place and he looked in time to see a flash of dark hair disappearing into the men’s bathroom. Dean was on his feet before he could help it.

“Bathroom.” He said to Bobby, patting his shoulder before he hurried towards the room.

Bobby grunted and shrugged, noticing nothing out of the ordinary as all of his attention was on the game. Dean pushed the door open and saw Castiel at the sinks washing his hands of the germs that he was certain he got from the bowling balls. His eyes lifted as Dean glanced around to see that they were alone. A slow smile formed on the teenager’s face but before he could say anything, Dean was grasping his shirt and dragging him into the biggest stall. He slammed the door shut and pushed him against the wall after he locked it. Their lips clashed together and Castiel responded with a muffled groan, his hands squeezing Dean’s hip as the older man brushed his fingers through his hair.

“That scarf…” Dean mumbled, pressing wet kisses to his jaw as Castiel tilted his head back. “I liked it.”

Castiel let out a sigh as his teeth scraped over his throat and his hand slid up Dean’s shirt to touch the hot skin underneath it.

“I’ll wear it to school one day.” He breathed, warmth filling him as he pulled Dean into him and their bodies aligned perfectly.

Dean grinned against his skin as Castiel’s thumb swept over his hipbone.

“It was so worth coming here cause I get to see you.” he said, pulling away to look into the blue eyes that he couldn’t get enough of.

“This is reckless.” Castiel said, his hand coming up to stroke Dean’s cheek.

The mechanic shrugged carelessly.

“We’ve been fine so far. I’m willing to take the risk because it has been way too long since I kissed you.”

Castiel grinned up at him before pulling him into another kiss. His tongue traced his lips before delving into Dean’s mouth, eagerly battling for dominance. When he pulled away and Dean pulled him away from the wall, Castiel smoothed his shirt down and looked up at him.

“We should both start brainstorming ideas for how we can meet. I don’t want to just have stolen kisses in bathroom stalls on the rare occasions that we see each other outside of school.” He said in a hushed voice.

Dean nodded, attempting to smooth Cas’s hair down without much success.

“I love your hair.” He marveled at the resilience of it before bending down to brush his lips over his once more.

Castiel leaned up before sliding past him to walk out of the stall.  
“Good luck on your game, Dean. I’ll be silently cheering for you.” he said, smiling softly before turning to walk out.

Dean sighed and leaned against the stall for a moment before nodding and walking out to wash his hands at the sink. After a minute or so, he walked out and stopped short, his heart pounding when he saw the scene in front of him. Cas and his father were about a foot away from each other looking as though they’d accidentally crossed paths. Gabriel was approaching them quickly with Anna hot on his heels, both looking concerned for their brother. Dean darted forward, reaching them first.

“Dad!” he shoved his way between them and attempted to drag his father away.

“This punk…” John began.

“Kicked your ass because you deserved it.” Dean hissed, shoving him backwards again. “Now get the fuck away from him before you get arrested again and I leave your ass in jail!”

His father looked at him with surprise, his eyes wide and his mouth open.

“You would let me rot in there and choose this kid over me?” he demanded.

“No, Dad. I would let you stay there because at some point, you have to be accountable for your actions instead of getting the easy way out every time.” Dean fired back, glaring at him.

John looked like he wanted to say something but his eyes drited past him. Dean glanced around to see that there was no anger on Castiel’s face. Anna and Gabriel were trying to pull him away but he stood his ground. Concern was on his face as he looked at Dean.

“I should go.” John decided.

Dean turned to face him with wide eyes, shocked by his admission.

“I’ll take you home.” he volunteered, wanting to get his father out of there.

John looked surprised at the offer.

“To Bobby’s.” Dean reminded him as the older Winchester knew that he wasn’t allowed in Dean’s home until he got his act together.

He nodded and turned back to go pick up their jackets. Dean turned to the Novaks with an apologetic expression.

“I’m sorry, Cas.” He said, his eyes focused on the darker haired of them.

The teenager shook his head, looking unbothered.

“Are you all right, Dean?” he questioned.

Anna and Gabriel looked slightly surprised at their familiarity but kept quiet.

“I’m fine, Cas. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?” Dean said, nodding at him as John approached and handed him the jacket.

They walked past and Dean glanced back at them one more time before they exited the bowling alley. Anna and Gabriel were facing away but Castiel’s head was tilted back to watch him go. Dean raised his hand and waved at him with a slight smile. The younger man’s worried expression softened and he smiled as well, waving back before turning his attention to his siblings.

“Thanks for backing off, Dad. He’s my student and… well he’s a good kid.” Dean said as they walked to the car.

John simply grunted, reaching out to open the door once he unlocked it.

“He’s too young, not worth getting in trouble over.”

Dean frowned as he froze by the car and the passenger door slammed shut. He glanced back at the building and sighed.

“He’s worth more than you or me.” he murmured quietly before climbing in as well and starting the Impala.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter gets a little angsty again. Then I’m going to do a little time skip to December.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel and Dean go to a secluded spot together and have more of an adventure than they expected. Someone in Castiel’s family becomes suspicious of his sneaking around and someone at school becomes resentful of his closeness to Dean.

“You’re going where on a Saturday evening?” Rebecca questioned, watching as Castiel jogged down the stairs.

“Run lines with Charlie. The play is in two weeks and I need the practice.” He replied, lifting his bag over his shoulder before adjusting his pullover sweater.

“Right because you have a terrible time of memorizing things.” Gabriel scoffed as he walked through the entryway.

Rebecca slapped the back of his head with a stern look.

“There’s a difference between memorizing things and performing them. Castiel wants to practice and that’s a good thing.” She said, nodding at him with a smile.

“Yeah cause it’s the first time he’s ever had to practice for anything.” Gabriel said, smirking down at him. “Cassie never really learned the practiced makes perfect because he’s always been perfect.”

Castiel glared back at him.

“You have your script?” Rebecca asked.

He nodded, walking to her.

“I’ll see you later, Mother.” Castiel said, kissing his mother’s cheek before breezing out of the house.

\----------

“You gotta be kidding me.” Bobby said over the phone as Dean rushed around his apartment throwing on clothing and brushing his teeth.

“I’m sorry, Bobby. I just can’t make it over.” He said through the mouthful of toothpaste before he spit it out.

The older man let out an angry sigh.

“I told you Dean…” he began.

“I know what you told me. But just because my dad is trying to fix every damn thing that he’s broke in the past doesn’t mean that I have to be there for every second of it. I have a life, Bobby. I shouldn’t have to sacrifice that for him when he sure as hell made sure that he made minimal sacrifices for me.” Dean fired back, wiping his mouth and tossing the towel away.

He sat down on the couch and began yanking on his boots on.

“Don’t sass me boy. I’m just trying to do right by you and your brother.”

Dean sighed and sat up, leaning back as he rubbed his forehead.

“I know, Bobby. I just… I gotta have days of my own.” he said.

There was silence on the other end for a few moments.

“On your own? When is Dean Winchester ever on his own?” Bobby quipped, a slightly amused tone in his voice.

He smiled slightly, pushing off of the couch.

“Shut up. I have a life.” he claimed proudly.

\----------

Castiel scrambled around the backseat of his car, moving quickly as he heard the low rumble of the familiar engine approaching the parking lot. He finally managed to yank the jeans up and button/zip them. A sigh of relief escaped from his throat as he pulled his sweater over his head to smooth out the plain dark grey t-shirt that was on underneath. He yanked his boots on just as the black car pulled up next to him. He pushed the door open and practically fell out, untwisting his ankle from the pressed khakis that he’d been wearing before as the driver rolled down the window and looked at him with raised eyebrows.

“You all right?” Dean asked, amusement in his voice as he took in his disheveled and flushed appearance.

“You said to dress casual.” he breathed, gesturing to his outfit. “Well I never do that so my family would have been suspicious if I left in this clothing. Hence the backseat change.”

The older male nodded, unlocking his doors with a teasing glint in his eyes.

“Well get on in… I’ll show you the time of your life.” he said with a wink.

Castiel immediately felt warmth filling him as he reached for the door handle. They were parked behind the Roadhouse so that his car was hidden. Luckily it was on the edge of town so no one would notice them at all. Jo assured him that it would be deserted that weekend because Ellen was taking her out of town to a family reunion so they closed down for a few days. He climbed into the car and closed the door before immediately leaning in to press his lips to Dean’s. The other man responded instantly, leaning into the kiss and weaving his hand through Castiel’s hair. When the teenager drew away, Dean grinned at him.

“Well hello to you too.”

Castiel let out a chuckle and pulled back, sitting on the seat and glancing around. It had been a while since he’d sat in the car with Dean and the last time had been at the Roadhouse as well.

“Where are we going?” he asked.

“You’ll see.” Dean said cryptically, shifting the car into drive before pulling out of the parking lot and going in the opposite direction of town.

He reached out and switched on a tape, filling the car with the low tones of Blue Oyster Cult.

“Where’s your family think you are?” Dean questioned, speeding past the city limit signs.

Castiel looked over at the mechanic to find him staring back. His first thought was that it was hardly a safe way to drive. But that was pushed aside when the bright green eyes of his companion entranced him.

“It doesn’t matter.” He answered honestly, a slight smile on his lips.

Dean beamed back, reaching out to lace his fingers through Cas’ before he turned back to look at the road. After several minutes of driving, he turned off the main highway onto a dirt road that led through the trees.

“This looks like a scene out of any horror movie. You aren’t taking me to kill me or to be killed by some… tree monster? Right?” Castiel asked, glancing around them.

Dean let out a laugh and squeezed his hand lightly.

“Tree monster?” he said, raising an eyebrow at him.

Cas shrugged.

“It might exist.” He said defensively.

“I’m not taking you to be killed by any tree monster or killed at all. It would really ruin the whole atmosphere of this date.”

Castiel smiled over at him, considering his words.

“Date?” he said.

Dean nodded as they went over a bump.

“Yeah, Cas… a date.” He said proudly.

He felt warmth spreading through him as he glanced around the area, suddenly focused more on the beauty of everything around him, including the man beside him. When the car began slowing down, he squinted off at something in the distance.

“A river?” he questioned.

Dean nodded.

“Me and my brother used to always come here. I haven’t been here in forever.” He said, parking the car.

Castiel opened the door, climbing out. He shivered in the cool air but ignored it, walking forward to the river’s edge. He heard Dean behind him as he squatted down and brushed his fingers over freezing water.

“It’s warm in the summer. I guess now isn’t a good time to be here.” Dean said, suddenly sounding less confident in his plans.

Castiel glanced over his shoulder at Dean who was hovering by the front of the car with his hands in his jacket pockets.

“It’s perfect.” He assured him.

He stood and looked out, spotting a log laid across the width of the river to serve as a bridge. He felt Dean’s eyes on him as they crossed over there.

“My family never came to places like this. Our vacations included hotel rooms and little chance of dirt being involved.” Castiel explained, brushing his hand over a moss-covered tree and smiling slightly.

“Sounds… boring.” Dean replied.

He let out a laugh and nodded.

“It started to get that way, I’ll agree.” He said, putting his hand out onto the log bridge.

Castiel heard Dean approaching him.

“I wouldn’t get on that, Cas. It’s probably rotted through and ready to break.” He warned.

Castiel glanced back at him.

“You’re just scared to join me.” he teased, testing his weight with a hand as he bounced up and down a few times.

“Yeah, I’m a little hesitant to fall in the negative temperature water. I don’t think it’d be all that pleasant.” He replied.

He climbed up onto the edge of the log slowly, moving out towards the other side.

“Cas, seriously.” Dean sighed. “If you fall in…”

Castiel turned back towards him, a slight smile on his face. He began walking backwards as he held eye contact with him.

“Come on.” he gestured, sinking down to sit, straddling the log.

Dean looked at him with an exasperated look as if he just realized that the guy he’d brought out there was, in fact, a teenager.

“I’m not touching that thing.” He said, shaking his head. “I wish you’d come back so that I don’t have to jump in that cold ass water to get you out.”

Castiel smiled, tilting his head to the side.

“You’d save me if I fell in?”

Dean flushed, looking down at his feet.

“Dean.” Castiel said, loosing his immaturity as he patted the log. “This log bridge has been replaced recently. The cut marks on that end are new and the edge isn’t covered with moss which means that it’s only been here for a short time. It didn’t creak or shift at all which means it’s strong. I wouldn’t have come out here if I wasn’t certain that I was safe. Trees are strong and they can hold a lot of weight because they have to hold themselves up. I promise that it’s safe.”

Dean stared at him doubtfully, moving forward hesitantly.

“You promise?” he questioned.

Castiel nodded, watching as he climbed up onto the bridge. Dean walked very slowly, listening for any sign that the log would break. He slowly sank down once he reached Cas, sitting and glancing back at the bank of the river longingly.

“See?” he said, reaching out to hold his hands. “Perfectly safe.”

Dean jumped, turning back to face him with wide eyes.

“Jesus Christ, Cas! Your hands are freezing!”

Castiel suddenly realized that he was quite cold, his body’s senses having been distracted by his conversation with Dean. He shivered and reached up, feeling his cold-to-the-touch nose and ears.

“Perhaps forgetting my jacket was not the smartest idea.” He said, smiling slightly at Dean as his body trembled.

The older man rolled his eyes, pulling his jacket off to reveal a long-sleeved plaid shirt underneath.

“That’s not necessary, Dean. I’ll be fine.” Castiel refused as he leaned in to wrap the jacket around his torso.

“It would be a really bad end to this if you got hypothermia, Cas.”

Castiel shivered again and scooted towards him.

“My lips are cold too.” He breathed.

Dean grinned and leaned in, pressing their lips together. Castiel wrapped his hands around his neck and moved in, closing his eyes as their hot breath mingled in the air and Dean delved into his mouth. Suddenly the older man pushed him backwards, forgetting about his wary approach to the log as he pressed his back into it and balanced carefully over him. Castiel’s legs fell open and hitched around Dean’s waist, allowing him to lay over him as they continued to kiss. Dean’s lips moved down to his jaw and throat as Castiel leaned his head back to give him more access. He felt heat rushing to his lower body and his hips bucked upwards, ripping a groan out of Dean’s throat as he accidentally rutted their groins together.

“S-sorry.” Castiel stammered, all of the sudden feeling not at all cold.

“Don’t be.” Dean replied, his voice deep and husky as his hands skimmed down his torso to grip his hips.

A loud crack filled the air and they both froze, their eyes widening as Dean drew away.

“Cas.” He murmured.

“I think we should get off of this log now.” Castiel whispered back.

Another crack sounded and Dean was up and yanking Cas to his feet. The log began bending inwards as they both ran for the river’s edge, trying to balance as the log shook and cracked. At the last moment, Dean gathered Castiel into his arms and they leapt onto the bank, stumbling as they heard a loud crash. Their heads turned as they clutched at each other and watched the pieces of the log fall into the river, the stream carrying them away.

“I may have miscalculated.” Castiel murmured, looking up at Dean with wide eyes.

The older man stared down at him, his eyes big and his mouth twitching.  A grin suddenly broke out onto his face and he began laughing, pulling Castiel in to press a kiss to the top of his head before they stumbled to his car. Castiel laughed as well, relieved that they weren’t currently submerged in freezing water.

“You okay?” Dean asked, pulling away to check him over for injuries.

“I’m fine, Dean. Are you?” Castiel replied, looking apologetic.

He nodded, brushing a thumb over his cheek.

“I guess that log wasn’t made for two guys to sit on.” Dean suggested.

Castiel smiled, flushing as he leaned into Dean.

“It was doing fine until we started kissing.” He reminded him.

Dean laughed again and pulled him in, kissing him again as he pressed him against the side of the Impala.

\----------

“Gabriel? Do you need any laundry done?” Rebecca called, moving around upstairs gathering the clothes.

“No!”

She pushed Castiel’s door open and walked in, crossing the room to his hamper by his closet. Her eye caught something as she passed and Rebecca paused, putting the basket on the floor as she walked to his desk. Sitting on it was a thick packet of paper with _Much Ado About Nothing_ typed on it. Her son’s name was written in the upper corner in his writing and when she opened it, she saw his notes scribbled all over it. She frowned as her mind worked to figure out why he didn’t take his script when she asked him if he had it. Castiel didn’t often forget things, if he ever did at all. She placed the script back on the desk, troubled thoughts plaguing her as she picked up the laundry and walked out of the room.

“Gabriel?” she questioned, knocking on his door and pushing it open.

“I don’t have laundry.” He sighed, looking up from his bed.

Rebecca shook her head.

“Do you know if Castiel has any new friends or… a boyfriend?” she questioned.

He furrowed his brow at her.

“I’m not sure. I doubt it. He’s had the same friends for forever and other than a minor crush on his mechanic teacher, he’s not interesting in anyone. Why do you ask?” he replied.

Rebecca hesitated.

“It’s nothing. Never mind.” She said, moving out of the doorway.

“Mom?” Gabriel said, sitting up and looking at her worried expression. “Castiel is a terrible liar and he’s bad at hiding things. You know that if there was anything, we’d know.”

She nodded, smiling at him despite still having concerns for her youngest son.

“Thank you, Gabriel.”

\----------

“I’ll see you Monday.” Dean said, standing by Castiel’s car as he stared up down at him.

The darker haired male sighed, running a hand up his arm.

“Next Saturday we’ll have to go to a spot that I know. It’s isolated… and less dangerous.” He said, leaning in to press a kiss to the corner of his mouth.

Dean moved his head and kissed him softly before pulling away. Castiel watched as he walked to the Impala and climbed in. He was gone by the time that Castiel figured out he was still wearing his jacket. He began to pull out his phone to call him back but inhaled deeply and smelled Dean’s scent on the article of clothing. He smiled and turned to the car, climbing in the back to change back into his nicer clothing. As he drove home, he was humming a classic rock song that stuck in the back of his mind.

“Who do you love?” he sang quietly as he walked up to the door with a spring in his step.

He opened the door and saw his mother hovering in the entryway.

“You were gone for a while.” Rebecca said, smiling at him as she took in his pink cheeks and nose.

“Yeah, Charlie and I got to talking.” He answered, smiling at her as he moved to the stairs.

Rebecca smiled back before she noticed something in his hair. A small leaf was entangled in his dark locks and it caused her smile to disappear.

“You forgot your script.” She called, causing him to turn around.

He didn’t look fazed, shrugging simply.

“Yeah Charlie and I just shared hers.” Castiel said without missing a beat, grinning happily at her before he jogged the rest of the way up the stairs to his room.

Rebecca winced when his door shut and she felt her heart pounding as she turned away from the stairs. She took her keys off of the front table and walked outside. She glanced up at the house before unlocking the car that Gabriel and Castiel shared. She glanced around and saw notebooks, schoolbooks, and clothing littered all over the place. When her eyes caught something in the backseat. She reached out, picking up the unfamiliar jacket with a confused expression. She held it up and realized that it belonged to a male. Her second thought was that she was certain that it didn’t belong to any of her sons or Chuck.

She looked back at the house and sighed heavily before replacing the jacket back where it was. Rebecca was going to have to talk to her husband about talking to their son.

\----------

“Evaluations today! I’m going to inspect your cars an rank you according to how you are doing!” Dean announced.

Jo wasn’t paying attention, nudging Castiel over and over again until he finally turned his head to look at her.

“What?” he hissed.

“Did you see him this weekend?” she questioned as he watched Dean moving around from car to car.

“Yes.” He nodded.

She squealed lightly and he shushed her.

“What did you do?” Jo asked, bouncing up and down.

Castiel shook his head, smiling slightly.

“We went to the river.”

“That’s so cute!”

He gave her a look and she quieted down, still looking thrilled.

“You two are adorable. I don’t care if you don’t like it.” she shrugged.

Dean walked over and Castiel turned to him, trying and failing not to look at him with bright eyes and a smile on his face. The mechanic grinned back, winking at him before he bent over the engine and began inspecting it. Jo nudged him again and he pushed her away, watching as Dean walked around and took down some notes on a pad of paper.

“Looking good.” He murmured to Cas as he walked by to go to Jo’s car.

“Me or my car?” Castiel replied, leaning back against his car as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Dean turned, glancing up and down before looking back up at him.

“Both.” he mouthed, nodding at him before ruffling Jo’s hair.

For the rest of the time, they chatted and worked on their cars as Dean glanced over his notes and made up his list. Five minutes before the class was due to end, the teacher stood up and cleared his throat.

“All right I have our list here. The car in the best state so far is… Cas with his red ’66 Chevelle!”

He flushed and looked down as Jo thumped his back enthusiastically and most of the other students clapped.

“Next is Jo’s ’68 Mustang!”

Castiel pulled her in and squeezed her as she laughed and pushed against him. Neither of them saw the two sets of furious eyes trained on the dark-haired teenager. Meg drifted over to Gordon, leaning against his car.

“They’re only in the first two places because they’re friends with Dean outside of the school.” She murmured.

“It’s bullshit.” Gordon growled, his hands forming fists.

“Then do something about it. You deserve this car, not Castiel. Just because he sees Dean for weekend fun doesn’t mean he should get extra favors. His family is rich, he doesn’t need the car.” Meg urged him.

Gordon looked over at her, his lip curling as he nodded.

\----------

Castiel remained behind for a few minutes, nodding at Jo as she skipped out gleefully.

“I know what you’re thinking.” Dean said once they were left alone.

“I just want to make sure…” he began.

“Cas you earned your place. Your car looks like I’ve been restoring it and that’s a big compliment. You deserve this so stop thinking I might’ve given it to you because of anything other than your hard work.” He said, reaching out to take his hand, his thumb stroking it reassuringly.

When the door pushed open, they wrenched away from each other and Castiel pretended to be headed for the door. Meg walked in, her eyes flashing between them suspiciously.

“I would like to talk to you about how I can do better on my car. I wasn’t pleased with my ranking and I really want to do well in this class.” She said, walking around Castiel to go to Dean’s desk.

“Yeah sure. Let’s go look at it.” Dean nodded, shooting Castiel an apologetic look behind her turned back.

He shrugged, smiling at him and waving before he walked out of the garage to move towards his car. Just as he reached the doors of the almost empty school to go to his locker, he felt a sharp pain in his face and he staggered to the side, slamming into the brick wall. He turned and looked up with wide eyes to see Gordon Walker standing over him with clenched fists.

“We need to talk.” The other teenager said before his fist descended on Castiel’s face once again.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel tries and fails to hide something from his friends and family. When the consequences are more far-reaching than he expected, he panics.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ask for faster updates and you shall receive.

Castiel’s head was lowered as he moved towards the parking lot. Sure enough, Gabriel was waiting on him. He winced as he walked to the car, opening the door and sliding in slowly.

“It’s about time. Were you flirting with…” Gabriel cut of when he turned his head and caught sight of him. “What the hell?”

Cas wiped off his bloody lip and bit back a groan of pain as his eye throbbed from one of many punches.

“What happened?” his brother demanded, sounding angered.

“Let’s just go, Gabriel.” Castiel sighed.

Gabriel ignored him, reaching out to turn his head towards him.

“Who did this to you?”

He inspected his busted lip, swollen eye, and cut cheek. Castiel pushed him away, turning his face away.

“Take me home.” he said hoarsely

“Tell me who did this.” Gabriel replied.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“The hell it doesn’t! Tell me so I can rip the little asshole to shreds!” his brother raised his voice with fury.

“Gabriel I am tired and I just want to lie down. Take me home, please.” He requested, too exhausted to argue anymore with his brother.

The older Novak hesitated before putting the car into drive.

“You’ll tell me later.” He said.

Castiel didn’t reply, staring out the window as they drove off.

\----------

_Castiel grunted as a blow landed in the middle of his stomach. His hands came up to defend himself but Gordon twisted his wrists around before slamming him into the wall. His head slammed against the bricks and black spots filled his vision, made worse when his attacker slammed his fist into his eye. He staggered weakly and the other teenager lifted his by his shirt._

_“I better get that car. I don’t care if you have to skip class. Make it happen or you’re going to be a fucking dead man.” Gordon growled in his face before tossing him to the ground and turning to saunter off._

_Castiel remained there for a few minutes catching his breath before he slowly climbed to his feet. He coughed as he stumbled inside to get his bag. He was grateful that everyone was gone but hesitant to go home and face his family._

\----------

As soon as they pulled up to the house, Gabriel turned off the car and looked over at Castiel as if he was going to say something. The younger brother beat him to it, turning his pleading blue eyes on his older brother.

“Please don’t tell anyone.” He mumbled before grabbing his bag and bolting from the car.

Gabriel followed him in time to see him running up the stairs as Rebecca came into the entryway to greet him. She jumped as Castiel’s door slamed shut and turned to Gabriel with an alarmed look.

“What was that all about?” she questioned.

He looked over at her, remembering his brother’s plea.

“He had a rough day. I wouldn’t expect him for dinner tonight. I think he’s going to sleep it off.” he lied, convinced that he would hear the truth about what happened to his brother later.

\----------

Castiel sighed with relief as he heard his brother’s excuse for him. He pushed away with a pained expression from where he was leaning against the door. He shuffled into the bathroom and winced when he saw his beat up face. After cleaning up and bandaging his cheek, he checked his torso and saw bruises already forming. Cas swallowed hard, stumbling to his bed and falling onto his mattress as he promised himself that next time he would be more ready for Gordon’s attack. After several minutes of dwelling on what happened, he fell into an uneasy sleep filled with Gordon’s furious face and a terrifying feeling of drowning in the ice-cold water that he and Dean barely escaped two days before.

When he woke up, the metallic taste of blood lingered in his mouth and his entire ached. Castiel groaned as he slid out of his bed, still fully dressed in his clothing and shoes from the day before. He stripped them off as he walked into the bathroom. His first glance at his reflection made him recoil. His eye and cheek bore dark bruises and his lip was leaking blood once again. The bruises on his ribs and abdomen looked horrible, spotted and black on his normally smooth, tanned skin.

He reached for his drawer and pulled out ibuprofen, quickly taking a few pills before pulling the bandage off of his cheek and getting under the warm spray of his shower. Castiel bathed gingerly, mindful of his pain as he washed off. he considered remaining home to avoid being seen like this but he knew that it would make his parents suspicious if they weren’t already. When he got out, he dressed carefully in ripped jeans, a dark green long-sleeved cotton shirt, and a black zip-up hoodie that probably belonged to Gabriel at some point. With the hood pulled up after putting another bandage on his cheek, Castiel walked out of his room and went downstairs. He immediately grabbed the keys off of the front table from where his brother left them.

“Aren’t you going to come eat breakfast?” his mother called from the kitchen.

“I’m not hungry.” He called back in a rough voice before slipping out and hurrying towards his car as quickly as she could.

Castiel was rather early so he stopped by a fast food place to grab a breakfast sandwich. He ate on the way to school, mindful of his busted lip. Once he maneuvered into the parking lot, he saw several other students milling around. When he saw his friends gathered at a bench looking around to stop him, he parked at the back of the lot and slunk down in his seat, praying not to be seen. He waited until the absolute last minute before he climbed out and began trekking up towards the school. Castiel was glad to see that his friends were gone. He ignored Jo’s questioning texts as he hurried towards his first class and slipped into his desk just as the final bell rang. The teacher glanced around the classroom and immediately caught sight of Castiel, unable to see his bruised face under the shadow of his hood.

“You know the rules, Mr. Novak. You’re going to have to take that off.” he said, nodding at him.

Castiel fought back a groan and felt eyes on him as he reached up. When he pulled it back, gasps echoed around the room and even his teacher looked shocked at his appearance. No one said anything as he ducked his head over his notebook and cursed Gordon Walker and his own weakness in his head. It took a long time for the staring to stop but it resumed as soon as the class ended, everyone whispering about what could have possibly caused the bruises.

\----------

Word traveled fast all the way to the main office before lunch. Castiel sighed heavily when he heard his name calle don the intercom in his fourth class. Eyes tracked him all the way to the door as he walked out with his head down and his hands shoved in his pockets. When he arrived at the office, Lisa was standing by the receptionist desk. Her eyes widened when she saw him but she was interrupted from saying anything when the principal’s door oened and Mr. Crowley peeked his head out.  
“Come in, Mr. Novak.” He said in his smooth foreign accent, gesturing to him before disappearing inside.

Castiel walked in, shutting the door behind him and sitting down in a chair in front of the desk at the man’s suggestion.

“I’m sure you know why you’re in here.” Mr. Crowley said, sitting down and adjusting his dark blue tie.

Cas stared back at him, his already high annoyance level rising even more.

“You’ll have to forgive me, sir. Unfortunately I haven’t quite gained the ability to read minds.” He replied dryly.

Crowley smirked, folding his hands on his desk and looking almost impressed.

“There are many who are concerned about your appearance, understandably so. I called you in on the off chance that you might need to speak to me about something.”

Castiel shook his head, schooling his features into an emotionless look.

“I got in a fender bender when I was driving home yesterday.” He lied smoothly. “My face slammed into the steering wheel.”

The principal raised an eyebrow doubtfully.

“A car accident?” he questioned.

Castiel nodded once, ignoring the dull pain in his body.

“And did your steering wheel grow a fist in this accident?” Crowley said.

“That would be physically impossible, sir.” He said simply.

The older man let out a sigh, nodding.

“So it would be. Just like the chance of a steering wheel giving you a perfectly shaped black eye that would usually come from a balled hand.”

Castiel remained quiet for a moment squinting at him.

“I got in a car accident.” He repeated, sticking by his story.

Crowley studied him for a moment before pushing back and standing up.

“Well if that’s all that happened, I suppose there is no more reason for us to continue this conversation.” he said.

Castiel stood as well, nodding at him.

“Have a good day.” He bid the older man before turning to walk out of the office.

His relief at escaping from further questioning by the principal was short lived when he walked out of the office and saw someone waiting for him in the hallway. A chill ran down his spine as Jo turned her head to look at him, her eyes widening. The blonde marched up to him, seizing his chin and turning his head from side-to-side.

“Who did this? And don’t you dare bullshit me, Castiel Novak!” Jo snapped, looking angry.

“It’s not important.” he sighed, pulling out of her grip and walking past her.

“Like hell it isn’t!” she hissed, following him.

“Just let it go, Jo. It’s not going to happen again. I’m fine.” Castiel shot over his shoulder.

“Is that what you’re going to tell Dean when he demands to know?” Jo said, stopping him in his tracks.

Castiel hadn’t thought about how Dean would react but now it was all that he could think about.

“Because if you know anything about him, you’ll know that seeing the people he cares about beat up makes him go batshit insane.” She continued.

Castiel inhaled deeply, ignoring the protest of his sore ribs.

“I’m fine and I’ll tell Dean that too.” He said simply before continuing on to his class.

Jo didn’t follow him. When he walked back into the room, the stares returned. This time, he lifted his head and looked back at them with a cold expression as he returned to his seat. They all averted their eyes uncomfortably and the lesson went on. When the bell rang for lunch, Castiel didn’t go to the cafeteria. Instead, he went to the vending machines and bought a bag of chips and a soda before sitting outside on a bench to eat it. He didn’t want to face his friends and their questions, much less the rest of the cafeteria. His mind was focused on how he would deal with his auto shop teacher.

\----------

Dean walked into the office with high spirits, whistling as he nodded at the others and collected his mail. It was only when he heard Lisa and Bela Talbot murmuring to each other that he realized something was wrong.

“… will be lucky if it doesn’t ruing my show. Of course, his safety is more important but the bruises will be so hard to cover up.” Bela complained.

“Poor kid.” Lisa shook her head sadly. “I heard he told Crowley that he was in a car accident but his face obviously looked like it had been punched more than once. Last I heard, the principal was debating whether or not to call the mayor. Surely he’d want to know…”

“What are you talking about?” Dean interrupted, a cold feeling in his chest.

Lisa and Bela both glanced at him.

“Castiel Novak.” The former answered.

“His face looks like it was used as a punching bag. He won’t tell anyone what happened but…” lisa cut off when he turned to storm out. “Dean?”

He rushed down the hallway looking everywhere. He knew that it was Castiel’s free period. When Dean ran outside, he glanced around as he pulled his phone out. Three different times the phone rang and rang until it went to voicemail. All of his texts were ignored and Dean made a frustrated noise as he took off towards the garage.

\----------

Castiel sighed as he lay in the back of his car. His phone was vibrating over and over again but he ignored it. Dean’s jacket was draped over him, the smell of it relaxing him. When it came time for his last class, he stlll had no idea how he was going to handle seeing Dean in his state. As he walked towards the garage, he pulled his hood up even though he knew that his wounds were no secret now. Jo joined him at his side without saying a word as if she’d been waiting for him. Her hand slid into his and squeezed lightly before letting go. They were the last two to walk through the door.

Castiel didn’t get anywhere near his car before a hand planted in the middle of his chest, stopping him. He looked up and saw Dean staring down at him. On the outside, he looked perfectly calm. The barely restrained fury in his eyes could only be seen by Castiel who was looking up at him.

“Everyone else work on your fuel tanks. Cas and Jo, come out with me.”

The blonde looked surprised by her summons, both her and Castiel watching as he moved towards the door. She slid her hand through his elbow and tugged him forward and outside. Cas felt a pair of burning eyes on him and didn’t have to look to know that it was Gordon glaring into his back. Dean was pacing beside the building as they stepped outside and allowed the door to close. When he saw them, he took a deep breath and turned to walk around the side of the building. They followed closely, finally hidden from sight. Castiel’s heart thumped as Dean walked straight to him and reached up to yank the hood off. His eyes took in his battered face and his jaw clenched angrily.

“Who?” Dean demanded.

Castiel remained silent, looking anywhere but in his eyes.

“He won’t tell.” Jo said quietly.

He glanced over at the young female and sighed.

“I’m sorry to bring you out here. I didn’t want anyone to be suspicious. You’re his friend so I figured it would look better.”

Jo nodded understandingly before her eyes drifted back to Castiel. Dean looked at him as well.

“Tell me.” he said in a low voice.

“It doesn’t matter, Dean.” Castiel replied.

Dean reached up, his hand hovering over his cheek before sliding into his hair and his thumb swept over his temple. The younger male sighed, leaning his head into his hand.

“Why did it happen?” he questioned.

Castiel shook his head.

“I was taken by surprise. It’s fine. I just want to get past it.” he sighed.

Dean frowned even more, taking in his bruised and swollen eye. Castiel kept himself from flinching as Dean leaned in. Jo averted her eye, sensing that something was about to happen that should be private. Dean let his lips ghost over his skin, first skimming his bruised cheek, then his black eye as Castiel fluttered them closed, and then his split lip. Castiel let out a breath, leaning into press their lips together.

“If it happens again…” Dean whispered against his lips. “… you call me, you hear?”

Castiel nodded, confident that he wouldn’t have to.

“I will.”

\----------

When Castiel pulled up to his house, he was confused to see that his father’s car was in the driveway. He was never home that early. Anticipating that his escape wasn’t going to be as easy this time, he once again drew the hood over his head and made his way inside. He barely got to the stairs before he heard a throat clear. Castiel froze, his hand on the banister as he took a deep breath.

“We need to talk.” Chuck said.

He turned and saw him and his mother standing side-by-side. Gabriel was behind them look apologetic, obviously having told them what he saw the day before.

“Take off the hood, Castiel.” Rebecca said quietly.

Cas dropped his bag and reached up, stepping back down as he pulled the hood off of his head. His mother gasped and her hands went to her mouth as she stared at his face. Chuck looked saddened and Gabriel looked horrified at the worse state of it.

“What happened?”

He remained silent, unsure of how to get out of this one.

“The school called us. You lied to them? Said you got in a car accident?” Rebecca demanded.

Castiel shrugged, pained by the motion but not showing it on his face.

“You need to tell us what happened, son.” Chuck urged him.

“It’s not important.” he mumbled, feeling like he’d said that for the thousandth time.

Rebecca shook her head, sadness taking over her face.

“Castiel you could be in trouble if you don’t tell us what happened. Please, did someone do this to you?”

He looked down at his feet and shuffled them.

“It was nothing. Just a little fight. I’m fine and nothing happened.” He said.

“Why was there a fight? You never fight.” His father said, sounding confused.

Castiel didn’t look up at them.

“What is going on with you? You never act like this.” Rebecca said.

He shook his head, inhaling deeply.

“I’m tired. Can’t I go to sleep?” Castiel asked.

“You can give us an explanation as to your behavior.” Chuck corrected him.

Castiel looked up at them, wanting to go to his room.

“Someone attacked me. It was a student at the school.” He mumbled.

Rebecca looked at him with a pleading look.

“Who, Castiel? Who did this to you?”

He shrugged again, not wanting to tell them. Gordon was popular at the school and turning him in could bring down a wrath on him from his closest friends. If he got in trouble, Castiel would surely never enjoy another good moment at his school whether Dean was there or not.

“I didn’t see. I don’t remember. I think that I hit my head.” He lied.

Rebecca looked at Chuck and his father took a deep breath, walking forward and putting a hand on his uninjured cheek. Castiel stared at him, awaiting more scolding.

“Go rest, Castiel. Tomorrow we’ll deal with this.” he said.

He hated to think of what that meant but he wasn’t going to argue, nodding before he turned to walk upstairs.

“You believe him?” Rebecca questioned once he was out of earshot.

Chuck turned back to her and shook his head.

“I believe that he knows exactly who did this and is somehow afraid of admitting to the identity of his attacker. Maybe tomorrow we can get an idea of who it is without having to drag it out of Castiel.” He sighed, pulling her in to hug her tightly.

Rebecca nodded.

“I just don’t want him to get into trouble if he didn’t do anything.” She admitted.

“We’ll take care of him, Rebecca. I promise.” Her husband assured her.

Neither of them knew that Castiel was still in the hallway listening to their words with a cold feeling.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel continues to try to hide the identity of his attacker. When he gets in an argument with his mother and leaves to clear his head, he is once again confronted. He finds himself in need of help and Dean is the only person he wants to call.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those wondering, the thing with Gordon is not the main conflict of the story. It’s just another thing that leads up to it.
> 
> Also, there is a part in this chapter that will make you happy. Very happy. Explicit rating happy.

_Castiel watched through blurred vision as the car peeled away, the driver obviously panicking. His hands trembled as he pulled his phone out of his pocket, grateful to see that it wasn’t broken. Blood smeared on the screen as he typed in the name and pressed talk. A ringing noise emanated from the speaker as he held it to his ear. Finally his call was answered and he let out a short sigh of relief before speaking._

_“I need help.”_

\----------

The rumors and whispers didn’t go away when he returned the next day. Gordon was missing from school for the second day in a row. Jo hovered close to him throughout the day until the final class when Dean kept a close eye on him, concern in his eyes when he thought that Castiel wasn’t looking.

“Why aren’t you telling anyone who did it?” his friend finally asked as he bent over the car and twisted a cap closed.

Castiel sighed and closed his eyes, shaking his head.

“Because it is my decision.” He replied.

Jo looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

“Your parents know. Do you really think they’re not going to demand to know who did it?” she said.

“They already asked me and I already told them that it would not give a name.”

“Why not, though?” she hissed.

He threw down a rag, turning to face her.

“Because!” a few people glanced at them with wide eyes until his intimidating glare forced them to turn their eyes away.

Castiel lowered his voice, leaning in closer to her.

“There are certain things that need to be kept quiet in order to protect other secrets. If I tell anyone who fought with me, then I’ll be inviting scrutiny by his friends, the school, my parents, and possibly even the police. Can you really not figure out why being looked after that closely would be unwise?” he demanded in a whisper.

Jo’s eyes glanced around to Dean who was helping Ed and Harry.

“You’re protecting him.” she realized.

“It’s the least that I can do. He’s risking far more than I am by daring to be close with me. If anyone starts looking at my life closely enough, they might see something that would put Dean’s job in danger.” He said in a low voice.

She sighed and nodded, leaning into him.

“I understand. I’m sorry this is happening.”

He shrugged, looking at Dean.

“It’s worth it.”

\----------

By Friday everything had calmed down at school. Everyone had let go of what happened and no one even really cared anymore. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for his home life. His mother and father continued to attempt to get the name out of him but he refused to tell. He could sense that they were getting more frustrated and they even threatened to ground him but he stood firm. So when Castiel heard low murmurs in his second class period, he looked at the door to see two police officers walking with his mother towards the administration office. His eyes widened as everyone turned to look at him. Before he knew it, he was leaping out of his chair to follow them.

“Mr. Novak!” his teacher protested.

He ignored her, bolting out of the classroom.

“Mom!” he hissed, walking towards her as she stopped with the police officers looking back at him.

“Oh good.” Rebecca breathed, reaching out to pat his shoulder. “I was going to have them call you down to the office anyways.”

“What are you doing?” he demanded, looking around at the two men and one female with her.

“I talked to the sheriff and he gave me a few suggestions. We’re going to talk to the principal now about consequences for bullying in his school so that you don’t have to be afraid of repercussions for talking about who hurt you.”

Castiel wrenched away from her with a slightly angry look.

“I told you not to do anything! Why are you doing this?” he snapped.

Rebecca looked confused.

“Castiel, I’m just trying to protect you and the other students at this school. No one should have to go somewhere where they are threatened by someone. Now come along to the office so that we can talk about it with Mr. Crowley.”

He wanted to argue but he knew that he shouldn’t make a scene at the school. With a glance at the police officers, he allowed himself to be led to the office where Crowley ushered them in immediately.

“I can guarantee you that whomever attacked your son will receive as fair of a penalty as I can think of.” The principal assured his mother.

“And you monitor the person to ensure that nothing else happens to anyone, not just my son?” Rebecca questioned, sitting in front of his desk looking earnest.

Castiel was next to her glowering at the wall and the police officers were lined up behind him.

“Yes, I’m not sure why there are officers here.” Crowley said, glancing up at them.

Rebecca sighed and leaned forward.

“To be honest, I’m not exactly sure what your policies are. If the bully is over eighteen, legally he can be charged with assault and…”

“Stop!” Castiel snapped, his voice ringing out.

Everyone looked at him with surprise.

“This is pointless. You can talk about bullies and consequences until your breath runs out but it’s not going to change anything. I am not telling you who it was so just… drop it.” he said, standing up and pushing his chair back. “It’s my business and it’s my life. Stay out of it.”

He wasn’t sure if the command was addressed more towards the principal or his mother but he didn’t stick around to say anything else. The door slammed open as he rushed out, hurrying back towards his classroom and praying that they didn’t call him back.

\----------

“You sure you’re all right?” Dean questioned as he watched Castiel attempting to fix his radio.

He was squatted by the driver’s side whereas Cas was sitting in the seat.

“I’m very tired of people asking me that question.” He replied simply, not looking at the older man.

Dean sighed, nodding before he reached out to pat his knee. His hand lingered, his thumb rubbing his skin through his jeans in soothing circles.

“I’m sorry. I know that it must be stressing you out.” he murmured.

Castiel stopped, turning his head to look back at him.

“I just wish that I could touch you.” he whispered, keeping his hands still as the temptation to do so grew.

Dean gave him a tender smile.

“We’ll see each other tomorrow, right?” he questioned.

Castiel nodded, certain that they would because he needed alone time with the mechanic.

“I’ll text you.” he agreed.

Dean gave his leg a squeeze before he stood to help Garth with his air filter.

\----------

Castiel was surprised, to say the least, when his mother was outside waiting for him instead of Gabriel. He climbed into the car willingly, sitting in the seat and staring out of his window.

“I know that you are angry.” Rebecca said as they began driving. “If you have something to say, say it. You know that I encourage honesty.”

He folded his arms over his chest and set his jaw resolutely. His mother looked over at him sadly.

“If you want to wait until your father gets home to talk, I understand. But we will have to talk about it, Castiel.”

He remained silent still, staring away from her the whole way home until she stopped the car and turned it off.

“I’m not angry.” Castiel finally spoke, gaining her surprised attention.  
He looked over at her, his eyes burning and his breathing deep and even.

“I’m furious.”

He threw the door open to the car and slammed it shut before stalking up to the house with his bag thrown over his shoulder.

“You had no right!” he snapped, his filter finally breaking as he slammed through the front door.

His mother followed him in with a worried expression.

“I did it out of concern for you, Casitel. I had to do something.” Rebecca said, setting her purse down as he charged for the stairs.

“You shouldn’t have done anything! Teenagers get in fights! Michael and Lucifer did so on more than one occasion and you didn’t call the cops to the school! Just because I got taken by surprise doesn’t mean I’m being bullied! If I’d been paying attention, I could have kicked his ass!”

She looked shocked at his shouting, hovering in front of him with a pleading look. Castiel shook his head, not allowing himself to be swayed by his conscience that was screaming at him to apologize.

“You have no idea what you’ve done… what could happen!”

“Castiel what are you talking about?” She questioned, panic in her eyes.

He stepped backwards and raked his hand through his hair.

“We had it handled! We fought it out and it was over! Now that the cops have been called, they’ll think I told everyone about it! I’m going to have a damn target on my back but in case it can’t get any worse, it won’t just be me! Now my friends, the people that I care about, are going to be targeted because you couldn’t keep your ‘concerns’ to yourself! Goodbye to having a pleasant last few months of high school! From now on, I’m going to be fucking miserable!”

Rebecca stepped back with horror at his words. Suddenly a hand seized his arm and Castiel struggled furiously as he was dragged towards the front door. Gabriel wrenched it open and tossed him out before throwing the car keys at his feet.

“Go! Get out until you can calm down.” he commanded, an angry look on his usually grinning face. “We don’t talk to her like that ever and you know it. I don’t know what the hell is wrong with you but you need to straighten it out before you come back.”

“Gabriel no…” Rebecca breathed, hovering by his shoulder. “He doesn’t have to leave.”

Castiel was filled with shame and horror at himself but it didn’t stop the angered look that was still on his face. He bent down and snatched up the keys before turning to bolt for the car, ignoring his mother’s shout. He threw himself into the driver’s seat and took off as quickly as he could, not looking back. He drove around for a several minutes before he wound up at the school. After parking the car in Dean’s normal spot, he sat there for a few minutes and breathed deeply. Finally he got out and walked towards the garage with his hands in his jacket pockets.

He wasn’t surprised that it was locked when he tried it but Castiel sighed anyway, sliding down to lean his back against the door with his eyes closed. He heard footsteps approaching and his head lifted as his eyes slid open. A cold chill ran down his spine when he saw Gordon standing there with two of his hulking friends.

“Hey snitch.” Gordon said with a scowl as Castiel slowly stood up.

“I didn’t tell anyone anything.” He replied, keeping his voice even as his heart thumped loudly in his chest.

Gordon scoffed and stepped forward, his hands curling into fists.

“I saw the cops here with your mother today. You telling me you didn’t say anything?”

Castiel shook his head, already bracing himself for another fight.

“They were trying to intimidate me into saying something and the school into acting on it. I told them nothing so the cops were forced to leave without any information.”

Gordon nodded, moving so that he stood directly in front of him. He reached out and adjusted the collar of his shirt.

“Let’s make sure it stays that way.”

Castiel saw his friends step forward and read the clear intent in Gordon’s eyes. He ducked the first punch, staggering back towards the garage. The other teenager looked at him with contempt before launching at him again. Castiel sidestepped the fist and Gordon let out a pained grunt when it connected with the metal door. Cas fought back, slamming him against the wall and punching him in the face as his hand pinched the soft spot on his shoulder.

“What the fuck?” Gordon shouted as his knees buckled.

Castiel was ripped backwards and thrown to the ground by the other two who descended on him. They began laying punches on him. He rolled away, ducking as his struggled to his feet and faced them.

“We could all stop now.” He suggested, holding his hands out as he glanced between Kubrick and Creedy, both football players along with Gordon.

They both sneered and waled towards him as Gordon recovered and stood slowly.

“You’re fucked.” Creedy informed him before he launched at him and threw his fist at his face.

Castiel ducked but then groaned when he felt a foot connect with his already bruised abdomen. He reeled back but recovered quickly, pretending like he was simply sparring with his brothers. His arm wrapped around Kubrick’s throat as he whirled around to stand behind him. His fist jabbed into a soft spot on his back several times as his other hand pressed into his carotid artery. The other two looked on with wide eyes as their friend howled with pain. Finally his body went slack as he stopped struggling, the pain overriding his urge to fight.

Castiel let him drop and prepared for the next attack. Creedy leapt forward and tackled him to the ground, angrily driving his fists into his torso, avoiding his face so that no one could see the new wounds. Cas fought back cries of pain as his blows connected with his old bruises from Gordon’s last attack. He knew that it would be worse this time. His knee jerked up and slammed into Creedy’s groin, sending him reeling to the side. Castiel drove his fist into his face, fatigue filling his muscles. He wasn’t done. Gordon charged forward with an angry snarl. He was ripped off of the ground and Gordon threw him against the garage like a rag doll. Castiel grunted as the other boy dug his fist into his already injured ribs.

“You fucking snitch on me and next time will be worse than this.” he growled in his face.

Castiel inhaled deeply, ignoring the pain coursing through his body.

“I don’t know.” He mumbled, struggling against his exhaustion. “I think I’m doing pretty well.”

Gordon smirked at him before pulling back to hit him in the stomach once more. Castiel blocked the hit with his forearm, sending a blinding uppercut to his jaw. He took Gordon’s momentary distraction as his chance and tackled him to the ground. Adrenaline and anger filled him as he slammed his fists into the other male’s face and torso over and over again. Gordon struggled to get a hit in but he was overwhelmed. Creedy was recovered by now and he seized the back of Castiel’s jacket, dragging him off of Gordon. Instead of attacking him, he went to his friend and urged him to get up.

“We gotta get Kubrick out of here before someone sees!”

Gordon was bleeding worse than Castiel, groaning as he stood up. They staggered over to Kubrick and lifted him up, dragging him towards the parking lot. Castiel watched through blurred vision as the car peeled away, the driver obviously panicking. His hands trembled as he pulled his phone out of his pocket, grateful to see that it wasn’t broken. Blood smeared on the screen as he typed in the name and pressed talk. A ringing noise emanated from the speaker as he held it to his ear.

“Cas? What’s going on?” Dean questioned.

He let out a sigh of relief before answering.

“I need help.” He croaked, wincing in pain as he felt blood staining his shirt.

A crashing noise sounded and he knew that Dean heard something wrong in his voice.

“What’s wrong?” the mechanic demanded.

Castiel pulled his shirt up and grimaced when he saw the scarlet liquid staining his skin.

“I’m at the school. Please Dean… I need you here.” He choked out.

He heard scrambling on the other end of the phone.

“I’m on my way, Cas. I’ll be there, I promise.”

Castiel sighed and nodded, dropping the phone into his pocket as he fought the urge to give into the unconsciousness that his body screamed for. After several minutes, he struggled to stand, stumbling towards his car to make it easier for Dean to find him. He collapsed against the side, sliding down to sit on the dark pavement. His head leaned back against the cool metal as he recited random facts in his head to keep his mind alert and awake. When he heard the familiar rumble, relief filled him. The car screeched into the spot on the other side of his car and he heard the driver’s door open and slam shut.

“Cas?” Dean called with panic evident in his voice.

“I’m here, Dean.” He managed to say, trying to raise his voice as loud as he could.

The older male scrambled around the car and stopped short when he saw the blood staining his shirt and his haggard appearance.

“Shit, Cas.” He said, collapsing on his knees next to him and reaching out.

Castiel smiled weakly, struggling to lean up as he clenched his hand around Dean’s.

“You should see the other guys.” He breathed.

Dean’s eyes snapped to him as he slowly helped him stand up.

“Guys?” he demanded.

Castiel didn’t reply as they shuffled over to the Impala.

“You gotta let me take you to a hospital.” Dean urged.

He shook his head, leaning into him.

“Please take me anywhere else. I really don’t want to go home and I can’t go to the hospital. They’ll ask too many questions.” he refused.

“Good.” Dean said simply. “You need to tell someone who’s doing this to you.”

He opened the passenger door and slowly helped Castiel into the car.

“Please, Dean.” The dark-haired boy said, looking up at him pleadingly.

The older male stared at him for a moment before sighing.

“I’ll get you cleaned up and then I’m taking you home.” he decided.

Castiel nodded, wincing as he did so and his face screw up in pain. Dean felt a flash of anger go through him at whoever did this. He closed the door and hurried around, vowing to find out who was doing it and give them the proper punishment.

“Thank you for coming to get me, Dean.” Castiel mumbled as he started the car.

Dean looked back at him as he slowly backed out of the spot.

“I’m always here, Cas. You know that.” he said, reaching over and squeezing his hand gently.

\----------

Dean’s heart pounded as they pulled up to his apartment. He was feeling nervous but the fact that Castiel was bleeding and breathing roughly made him put away his hesitation. They hurried into his small apartment and Dean went straight for his couch, slowly lowering the dark-haired teenager onto the couch. He leaned down, pressing his lips to his forehead.

“Take your jacket and shirt off if you can.” He said in a quiet voice, stroking his hair soothingly. “I’ll be right back.”

Dean ran to his bathroom and dug through the drawers until he found a first-aid kit and grabbed some towels, wetting down one of them. He got a glass of water and some pain medication before going back into the living room. When he walked in, Castiel was bent over setting his shirt on the ground. There were a few red marks on his back but nothing serious. As Dean walked around the couch, Castiel leaned back slowly and his breath caught in his throat. Yellowing old bruises were spotted across his ribcage but there were new ones forming as well.

Castiel’s eyes tracked him as he moved to sit in front of him in a chair that he pulled up. He took the glass of water and sipped at it after taking the pills. Dean opened the first-aid kit and laid it on the couch before lifting the damp towel to clean him off. His other hand was entwined with the young man’s hand, allowing him to squeeze when the touch was painful. His breath was still ragged but most of the bleeding had stopped. Dean wincing internally when he saw the long but shallow cut on his ribs. Castiel watched him as he doctored him up, bandaging his cut before he drew away and dropped everything onto the ground.

“You probably need some ice for your bruises.” Dean said, moving to stand up.

“Dean.” Castiel said, tightening his grip on his hand.

He looked down at him and saw the pleading look back in his eyes.

“I’m not going far, Cas. I’m just going to grab you a bag of ice.” He assured him.

Castiel shook his head, pulling him down to the couch.

“Could you just hold me, please?” he asked in a quiet voice.

Dean sighed and nodded, carefully gathering Castiel into his arms. The teenager curled into him, his head buried into his chest as he leaned back against the couch. Castiel was exuding warmth, snuggling into his side with a sigh of contentment. Dean didn’t mind the position, his insides fluttering as he held him close. His hand skimmed over his bare back unconsciously.

“You are very good at playing doctor.” Castiel murmured, pressing his cheek into Dean’s chest.

Dean felt his heart drop.

“I’ve had experience.” He admitted.

There was a moment of silence before the blue-eyed male lifted his head to look at him questioningly.

“Why?” he questioned.

Dean suddenly regretted saying it, shrugging as he looked down at the floor.

“Sometimes my dad would get violent when he was drunk. He wasn’t abusive or anything. He’d just be real paranoid and think we were attacking. I took the brunt of it but sometimes Sammy was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I got pretty good at cleaning us both up.” He said quietly, picking at a hole in his jeans.

Castiel stared at him for a moment before leaning in and kissing him. He nibbled gently at Dean’s lower lip. The other man sighed, sliding his hand into Castiel’s hair and responding gingerly. When he pushed in further, desperately seeking more contact, Dean carefully pushed him away.

“Cas…” he whispered, opening his eyes to look at him.

That was when he felt the hot tear fall onto his cheek. He pulled away with shock, seeing the wetness filling Castiel’s eyes.

“It was Gordon.” He said in a shattered breath, trying and failing to hold back his emotion. “It was him and his friends, Kubrick and Creedy.”

Dean sat up with wide eyes.

“Cas, those guys are huge!” he said. “You took them down?”

Castiel shrugged and sniffled, reaching up to wipe his eyes.

“They saw the cops in school today. They were making sure I didn’t tell anyone about Gordon going at me the first time around. When I told them I didn’t say anything, they decided that they would give me a warning about the future. I guess they didn’t think that I would fight back.”

Dean nodded, stroking his cheek as he spoke.

“You should have said something, Cas. This might have never happened if you just told someone.” He sighed.

Castiel looked up at him.

“Gordon threatened to find a way to ruin me. I knew that he meant it. I thought that if he developed an obsession with breaking me down…” he trailed off and Dean realized what was going on.

“You thought that he would find out about us.” He said in a low voice.

“I didn’t want you to get in trouble. I can’t be the reason you get fired or chased off. I thought that if I kept quiet, it would blow over. I guess I’m Gordon’s personal punching bag now.” Castiel acknowledged.

Dean shook his head.

“What got him riled up in the first place?” he asked.

Castiel looked up at him with shining blue eyes.

“The rankings in your class. He really wants the car and he’s upset that I beat him.” he said quietly.

Dean frowned, more anger and confusion filling him.

“Half the class beat him, not just you. He’s a shitty mechanic.” He said.

A short chuckle escaped from Castiel’s lips and Dean looked at him with surprise.

“Why were you at the school, anyway?” he asked.

Cas sighed and played with Dean’s hand nervously.

“I got in a fight with my mother. Gabriel told me to leave until I calmed down.”

Dean looked at him sympathetically, pulling his chin up.

“We should probably get you home.” he said. “Your folks’ll be worried about you.”

Castiel’s eyes widened and he took a deep breath.

“Can’t we stay here for a little while longer?” he asked in a quiet voice. “I just need… I need you right now.”

Dean couldn’t deny him that, not when there was desperation in his voice.

“Yeah Cas.” He said, pulling him back in. “We can stay here for a while.”

Castiel nuzzled against his neck and his fingers played with Dean’s shirt, pulling lightly on the strings hanging from the hem and tracing the faded emblem across his chest. The older male continued running his fingers lightly over his back. After a few minutes, Castiel’s head turned and he pressed a wet, open-mouthed kiss to Dean’s throat.

“Cas.” He sighed, unable to fight the warm shivers that went through his body at the feeling.

The teenager didn’t listen to him, doing it again as his hand slid up his shirt and to his face, stroking his cheek before sliding into his hair. His teeth scraped over Dean’s earlobe as his tongue traced the spot just behind his ear. Dean gasped and felt warmth shooting straight to his groin.

“What are you doing?” he groaned.

“Enjoying myself.” Castiel whispered, pressing into the side of his body as he kissed down his jaw.

Dean turned his head, searching for his lips and feeling triumphant when he found them. His eyes squeezed shut as they kissed deeply, Castiel’s tongue delving into his mouth and battling with his own for dominance. Dean allowed his body to be moved at the other male’s insistence, his legs pulled up onto the couch and his torso laying back against the cushions so that he was laying across the length of it. Castiel twisted around slowly, aware of his injuries as he placed his legs on either side of Dean’s thighs and straddled his hips, his hands balancing him on Dean’s chest.

The mechanic looked up at him with wide eyes, stunned at how easily he managed to put them in that position. His words were swallowed up once again when Castiel leaned down to kiss him eagerly, his fingers entangling in his hair. Dean’s hands fell to his hips, holding them carefully. When the teenager rocked against him, he threw his head back and groaned when he felt his own erection rubbing against Castiel’s equally aroused cock. Castiel attacked his throat, kissing, biting and sucking as his hands dragged Dean’s shirt up and over his head.

“Cas…” he began to say, trying to regain his sense through the lustful haze in his mind.

The teenager simply grinded his hips down, pulling a low-pitched whine out of Dean’s throat as his lips drifted down to his chest. He noticed the black tattoo and traced it with his fingers.

“Sam has one too.” Dean breathed, watching as Cas studied it. “We got it together.”

Castiel glanced up at him before pressing a soft kiss in the middle of the circle.

“It suits you.” he whispered against his skin as he moved inwards.

“Cas we really shouldn’t be doing this. You just had a bad time and you should be resting.” Dean sighed, trying to do the right thing by stopping him.

“I want to do this, Dean. Don’t you?” he questioned, sitting up to look in his eyes.

“Hell yeah.” Dean breathed. “But maybe we should…”

Castiel flicked his thumb over Dean’s nipple, punching the breath out of him as he felt the sparks of pleasure run through him and his jeans tighten even more.

“I don’t want to wait.” Cas said decisively, leaning in to capture Dean’s lips again.

His hands slid down his torso, his fingers sliding into his belt loops for a few moments. When his thumb pressed against the button’s to his jeans, Dean’s breath hitched. Castiel hovered over him.

“Did you know that pressure points could be pleasurable as well? Not just painful.”

Dean shook his head slowly, swallowing hard. Castiel moved down to his throat, skimming his lips over the skin before they pressed against carotid artery. He could feel his heartbeat thrumming under the surface, quickened by their amorous actions. When his tongue darted out and licked up the vein, Dean groaned and bucked his hips up at the feeling. It was nothing compared to when his teeth scraped over it, sending heat straight to his cock as Dean dug his fingers into his hips. He let go quickly as Castiel sat up with raised eyebrows.

“I’m sorry. I forgot you were…”

Castiel shushed him with a finger on his lips.

“It doesn’t hurt there. I like it.” he assured him before diving down again.

This time his teeth nipped lightly at the soft spot on his shoulder, making his stomach coil and his toes curl at the feeling.

“Cas.” Dean whined, rocking up against him without a care anymore.

The teenager reached between them, unbuttoning his jeans and unzipping them. He pulled them down a bit before hesitatingly cupping his erection through the thin material of his boxers. Dean bucked into him and bit his lip, staring up at him with darkened green eyes. Castiel licked his lips slowly, brushing his thumb over the head of his cock just before his hand slid up to play with the waistband of his boxers.

“I’ve never… I haven’t…” he stammered, blushing.

Dean realized what he was trying to say and pulled him down gently, kissing him.

“Just do what feels right. I’ll tell you if you’re doing anything wrong.” He assured him.

Castiel nodded, sliding his hand into the boxers and pulling them down as his heart thundered with anticipation. When his hand closed around the hot flesh, he flushed and squirmed, his own cock throbbing with anticipation. Dean’s head fell back as Cas looked down, carefully sliding his hand up and down the length. His thumb swept over the head and pre-come smeared over it. He collected it on his hand to ease the way, knowing that much as he began to set a rhythm. Dean rolled his hips and thrusted up into his hand helpfully every few moments.

“C’mere.” Dean murmured, pulling him down to kiss him passionately, licking at his lips and delving into his mouth.

Before Castiel knew it, Dean had unbuttoned and unzipped his own pants and was pushing them down. He allowed it, straightening his legs out. When the older male pulled his cock out, he let out a shattered cry as he mimicked Castiel’s movements. He tried to keep up as Dean drove him crazy with his touch. His hips thrusted forward of their own accord, seeking more friction. A whimper escaped from his mouth.

“Shh… I got you.” Dean murmured against his lip.

Castiel didn’t realize that his hand stopped pleasuring the other man until it was pulled away. When Dean shifted them and fitted their cocks together, Castiel’s eyes almost rolled back into his head. Dean’s hand wrapped around them both, pumping them together. He began thrusting, encouragements falling from Dean’s mouth as he did so.

“So good…” Dean whispered, swiping the index finger of his other hand over the heads of both of their erections.

Castiel was watching and he reached down, grasping Dean’s hand and pulling the digit to his mouth. His tongue darted out and licked the pre-come off, causing Dean to groan and buck up. Castiel got the message, sucking the finger into his mouth and flicking his tongue all over it. Pretty soon, one finger became two and he was sucking on them as if his life depended on it, his eyes fixed on Dean’s as he did so. Dean continued pumping them both before pulling his fingers out of Cas’s mouth.

He pulled him forward and kissed him deeply, tasting the salty pre-come on his tongue. His spit-slick fingers drifted downwards, sliding into the back of his jeans. Castiel let out a moan of surprise as his middle finger pressed against his entrance. Dean didn’t push in, just circling the outside softly, feeling the muscles fluttering against his touch. Castiel seemed to enjoy it, writhing on his lap as he kissed him passionately and bucked into his hand.

“D-Dean… I’m going to… I think I’m…” he whispered, his voice wrecked.

“Come for me, Cas.” Dean encouraged him, pressing against his hole.

That was all it took and liquid was spilling out onto their stomachs. Dean looked up, captivated by the blissed out look on Castiel’s face as he stuttered out Dean’s name amidst his moans. The look sent him over the edge and his seed quickly joined Castiel’s, warm and sticky as they continued sliding against each other. Castiel fought the urge to collapse, his exhaustion suddenly taking over his body as Dean pulled both of his hands away from him. He barely held himself up as the older male cleaned up their stomach with one of the still-clean towels that he’d brought into the living room. Castiel looked down at him with heavy-lidded eyes.

“That was…” he breathed, searching for the right word. “… magnificent.”

Dean grinned lazily, pulling him down to lie over his chest. His fingers ran through Castiel’s hair as the teenager snuggled into him.

“I agree.” Dean said, leaning his head back to look at the ceiling of his apartment.

Castiel inhaled deeply, the pain medication numbing his injuries helpfully. It didn’t take long for his eyes to slide shut, the combination of his long day and Dean’s touch in his hair sending him into sleep. His last thought was that he particularly enjoyed lying across Dean’s warm body beneath him. The mechanic realized that he fell asleep and panicked for a moment before he shrugged it off. It wouldn’t hurt for Cas to sleep there for a few hours. After all, his family did tell him to leave.

\----------

They were both awoken by the sound of loud ringing. Dean twitched as Castiel jerked up, bending over to pull his phone out of his jacket pocket. He looked at the screen to see that he’d just missed a phone call from his mother… the tenth missed call he had from her. That combined with the seven calls from his father, the twelve from Gabriel, and the five from Anna as well as a multitude of texts asking where he was made his heart drop to his stomach. Dean saw Castiel pale and he looked around, his eyes widening as he caught sight of the clock on the DVD player.

“Shit!” he cursed, sitting up and sending Castiel thumping back onto the couch.

“Agreed.” Castiel said, looking up at him with panic.

Dean took a deep breath, trying to calm his pounding heart as the realization that they’d been sleeping there for seven hours occurred to them both. They stared into each other’s eyes, memories of the previous night rushing back. Suddenly Castiel was blushing and Dean was smiling slightly. Thoughts of how screwed they were flew out of their minds as their lips connected, moving against the other as their hands wandered. Castiel hissed and drew away as Dean accidentally pressed into a sore spot.

“Sorry.” Dean said guiltily, grimacing as he looked at his torso.

The spots were even worse, dark purple and black. Castiel shook it off and leaned in, kissing him once more.

“I should really go. I don’t want to but… I should.”

Dean nodded, both of them shifting off the couch. Castiel pulled on his clothing slowly, wincing and frowning at his blood-soaked shirt.

“I’ll take you back to your car.” Dean said, pulling his shirt over his head and grabbing his keys.

Before they made it to the door, Castiel stopped him and leaned up, kissing him deeply. Dean responded, weaving his hand through his hair.

“Last night was truly amazing, Dean.” He murmured, pulling away with a sparkling look in his eyes.

“It was.” he said, nodding.

Castiel squeezed his hand before separating from him, walking out of the apartment and to the car. He slunked down in the seat, not wanting to be seen too easily by anyone. Dean was holding his hand, whistling along to the song playing as they drove down the road. As they approached the school, Castiel’s head turned at the last second and he sat up, squeezing Dean’s hand.

“Stop!” he snapped.

Dean did as he said, turning his head and his eyes widened.

“What the…”

Four cop cars and several others were in the school parking lot surrounding his own car.

“It’s my parents… and Mr. Crowley. And my siblings.” Castiel said, looking over at him with panic. “I have to get out of here now and you have to go back the way you came. They can’t know that we were together. Go!”

He pushed the door open, grateful that they hadn’t seen them yet.

“Wait, what are you going to tell them?” Dean asked, reaching out to squeeze his hand.

“I’ll think of something.” Castiel said, shaking his head before giving him an apologetic and tender look.

Dean backed away once he closed the door and he turned to face the parking lot. The pain medication was worn off but he couldn’t feel his pain with the adrenaline coursing through his veins. He slowly moved across the lot, the chattering of the people gathered there reaching his ears. When Anna turned and saw him walking towards them, relief filled her face.

“Castiel!”

She launched forward as the others turned and yanked him into a hug. He let out a cry of pain and pulled away from her. That was a mistake as he was suddenly descended upon by his family and two police officers. He was escorted to a car where he leaned against the bumper.

“Where were you, Castiel?” Rebecca asked tearfully, more fear in her voice than anger.

“I was with a friend.” He said, looking back at her sadly. “I didn’t think that… I thought it was best for me to stay away and my phone died.”

She let out a sob and leaned in, hugging him more gently this time.

“We were so afraid. Someone came forward and said that you were beat up here. We saw all of the blood and…”

“Wait… someone came forward?” Castiel questioned, looking around at his father.

“Yes. A kid was apparently driving the car that the three young men left in. He saw everything they did and decided to turn them in. The police are rounding them up now.”

Castiel felt a hint of fear flash through him.

“I fought them too. Will I get in trouble?” he questioned in a quiet voice.

“Of course not. You were defending yourself.” Chuck assured him, reaching up to pat his head.

Castiel turned his head to see his mother, Gabriel, and Anna all staring at him with worried expressions.

“I’m sorry about yesterday, Mom. I shouldn’t have yelled at you. I was just so angry and… I overreacted. I’m sorry to you too, Gabriel.” He apologized.

“Don’t worry about it, Castiel. I was just so afraid that you were hurt and in danger somewhere.” She said, stroking his cheek.

“Are you in a lot of pain?” Anna asked, looking guilty for hugging him.

Castiel shrugged, wincing at the movement.

“Let me see, son.” Chuck urged him, his eyes trained on the dried blood on his shirt.

He hesitated before slowly lifting it, grateful that Dean had done a good job of cleaning them up last night. The other gasped when they saw the dark bruises that marred his torso.

“We need to take you to a hospital.” Rebecca decided.

“No Mom I’m…”

“We’re taking you, Castiel.” Chuck said with an air of finality in his voice.

Castiel quieted, nodding and allowing him to lead them to another car. He took his keys out and handed them to Gabriel so that he could take the car. The police officers were hovering nearby.

“If you want to ask him questions, you can come to the hospital. We need to get him checked out.” Chuck informed them.

Castiel climbed into the back of his parents’ car, leaning his head back against the seat. Images of the previous night flashed through his mind and heat stirred low in his stomach. A small smile played on his lips but he covered it up as soon as Chuck and Rebecca climbed into the front seats.

“I’m so glad you’re safe.” His mother breathed, reaching back to hold his hand.

“As am I.” Castiel nodded, mentally thanking Dean for that fact.


	17. Just a quick message - sorry it's not a new chapter

**I am so sorry**

I have a little announcement/apology to make. I’ve just made the decision two days ago to leave college and go back home. A lot of stuff has happened that I just can’t deal with here so I need to be with my family. My parents are coming up to take me home Friday. I’ll be packing for the rest of the week.

Because of this, my writing updates are going to be few and far in between. My regular stories will be picked up as soon as my life is more stable (Saturday or Sunday). I promise it won’t last forever and if I can, I’ll try my best to update but I just have a lot to do.

I’m sorry again. I love you all and thank you in advance for being patient with me.

Love,

Annabeth

 


	18. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry if this chapter seems to move a little fast. I have a certain place that I want to be very soon so I had to speed up a bit. Also, I’m sorry if you think I’m now moving too fast with Dean and Cas’s relationship now.
> 
> I think that, from my own personal experience, that first experience with sexy times kind of breaks a barrier down and it’s much more tempting to do other things. So that’s how I’m writing this. I’ll try to keep it realistic as possible, I promise. There will be heated tempers and passion in the latter part of this chapter. Some conflict and another two people find out about Dean and Castiel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who was so supportive of me. Because of all the kind messages, I worked as hard as I could to get a new chapter out for you.

Gabriel let out a low whistle as he peeked out of the room into the one across from them. At first, his parents had objected to Castiel being so close with his attackers in the hospital. When they saw the damage done to them and the half-assed job that they did patching each other up, they allowed them to be on the same floor as long as two police officers were watching them to ensure that they came nowhere near their son.

“You did a number on those guys, Cassie. I think one of them has a broken nose.” His brother said, looking back at him with sparkling eyes.

“This isn’t a joke, Gabriel!” Anna hissed, throwing a pen at him that he ducked with a grin.

Castiel sighed heavily and rubbed his aching head.

“When do I get to leave?” he asked his mother who was sitting beside him.

“As soon as the doctors allow it.” she said, holding his hand in both of hers.

He was already tired of sitting in the bed. Luckily they’d allowed him to put on hospital scrubs instead of the embarrassing paper-thin gowns. It paid off to be the son of the town mayor sometimes.

“Why did they attack you, son?” Chuck questioned.

Castiel swallowed hard, looking up at him.

“He was jealous of my standing in auto shop class. I told you that whomever gets the best grade is allowed to keep their car and… so far I have the best grade.” He said truthfully.

A smile broke out over Rebecca’s face and the others looked happy.

“You didn’t tell us that!” Anna said happily.

Castiel shrugged, staring at his hands.

“It hasn’t gotten me anything good so far.” He said quietly, pulling at a hangnail.

His mother slapped his hand away and pulled out her nail clippers to cut it off.

“It’s impressive, Castiel.” Rebecca said, smiling up at him before patting his cheek. “You are so smart.”

He flushed and smiled back. Suddenly a knock sounded on the door and the sheriff was there.

“I just wanted to talk to you folks about what happened, get the story straight from Castiel’s mouth.” He said, moving into the room.

“You up for this?” Chuck asked, his concern for Castiel clear.

He nodded, picking at the blanket as the questions began.

\----------

Dean was in the process of cleaning up his apartment of the first-aid stuff when a knock sounded on his door. He walked to it slowly and opened it. Jo pushed past him and he noticed that tears were staining her face.

“Jo? What is it?” he asked, concerned.

She took a deep breath before letting out a sob.

“Th-they attacked him again. It was Gordon and… and his friends!” she cried.

Dean was relieved. Not because Castiel had been attacked but because he thought that something else was wrong.

“He’s okay, though.” He said, wincing when he sounded too sure of himself.

She looked confused, wiping her eyes before she glanced around. She saw the bloody towels and first-aid kit and everything seemed to snap into place. Jo looked back at him with shock before launching at him and hugging him tightly.

“Whoa… Jo.” He gasped out, embracing her back.

“You took care of him!” she acknowledged, pressing her face into his shoulder.

“Of course I did.” Dean said, rubbing her back soothingly.

She pulled away and nodded, grinning at him gratefully.

“Thank you so much, Dean. I just… I can’t stand the thought of him getting hurt. He’s my best friend.” She said, looking embarrassed at her emotional reaction.

Dean reached up and ruffled her hair.

“Don’t mention it, kid.” He said.

She laughed and shoved him away.  
“Hey, I want to go visit him and the hospital and my mom is working right now. I walked here but I would love a ride to the hospital if you could spare a few minutes.” Jo said, a sparkle in her eyes.

Dean studied her for a few moments before he realized what she was trying to do. She saw that he was stressed by everything too.

“Thanks, Jo.” He breathed, picking his keys up off the coffee table.

“C’mon, Dean. Let’s go see him.” she said, smiling up at him as she looped her arm through his.

\----------

Castiel was left alone with his family once he finished filling the sheriff on with everything that had happened. After several minutes, another police officer showed up with a young teenager in tow. The kid had short brown hair, pale skin, and big, terrified eyes.

“He wanted to speak to you.” the policeman said.

Castiel sat up, confusion on his face. He recognized the boy as being from his theater class.

“Samandriel, right? You’re playing Borachio.” he acknowledged.

The younger teenager swallowed hard before nodding, glancing around at the rest of them.

“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean… I was the one driving Gordon and his friends. They… they caught me just as I was leaving my job at the Wiener Hut and asked if I wanted to do something fun. I didn’t know what we were doing but I didn’t feel comfortable saying no. They’re bullies, you know?”

Castiel raised his eyebrows and Gabriel let out a laugh.

“I think he knows, kid.” His brother said.

“Hush, Gabriel.” Rebecca said softly.

“Well they saw you pull into the school parking lot and recognized your car. Gordon said he owed you a conversation. I didn’t realize what that meant but they told me to stay in the car. When I saw them beating you up, I didn’t know what to do. I was looking for a phone to call the cops, I don’t have my own phone, when they ran at the car and told me to go. Two of them were in rough shape. One of them threw me out back at the Wiener Hut and they took off down the road. I knew that I had to do something. I turned them in as soon as I got to the police station. I, uh… I was at the school when you got there. I was worried that they came back for you when they left me. I’m glad to see that you’re all right.”

As he talked, Samandriel kept casting nervous glances back towards the room where Gordon was. Castiel lifted his hand and beckoned to him.

“Come here.” He said.

The younger boy obeyed, stumbling to the bed with a nervous look.

“Thank you very much for what you did. I know that it took a lot of bravery on your part. And I know that you are concerned that Gordon or his friends will retaliate. I promise you they won’t. I’ll take care of you at school and my father and the authorities will ensure that you’re taken care of outside of it.” he assured him.

Samandriel looked slightly relieved.

“Thank you, Castiel.” He nodded at him.

The dark-haired teenager smiled at him.

“Let’s go, kid. We’ll leave the Novaks alone now.” The officer said, shooting Castiel a respectful look before he ushered the teenager out of the room.

“That was very kind of you, Castiel.” Rebecca said, rubbing his hand and smiling at him.

“I owe it to him. Without his word, I may not have been able to prove that it happened the way it did. It would have been their word against mine.” He said.

“Your word means a lot to us, Castiel. We would have believed you. You’ve never given us any reason not to trust you.” Chuck said.

Castiel smiled slightly at him, nodding just before a blur of blonde hair ran into the room followed by a calmer form. His eyes widened when he saw that it was Dean and Jo.

“How are you? Are you okay?” Jo demanded, leaning over the bed to look at him. “Sorry Novaks. I didn’t mean to burst in but I was worried. Is he okay?”

“Jo, I’m fine.” He sighed, reaching up to pat her shoulder. “They just had to do a few tests and scans to make sure that nothing was seriously wrong.”

She sighed with relief.

“I’m glad. I was so scared that they’d done something serious to you. I’m going to kick their asses! Sorry Novaks.” She said again, shooting them apologetic looks.

Castiel smiled slightly.

“You’re too late, Jo. Cassie already did that for you.” Gabriel said, watching Dean as he stood by the door.

“Hello, Mr. Winchester.” Chuck said, nodding at him.

“Oh you can call me Dean. Hi mayor.” He greeted him, holding his hand out to shake. “Sorry about this. Jo really wanted to come and she bummed a ride off of me.”

Castiel watched as his father nodded with a smile.

“These kids have been almost inseparable since they became friends. We were all just waiting for her to show up.” Chuck nodded.

Dean looked over at Cas and gave him a tender smile.

“How you doing?” he questioned, his voice smooth and detached like a teacher’s voice should be.

“I’m doing quite well.” Castiel nodded at him.

“Good.” The mechanic said. “I need my best student back, after all.”

He winked as Castiel let out a laugh. Jo smiled between them and the rest of their family chuckled, not noticing the hungry look that Dean and Castiel shared for a split second. At that moment, the doctor walked in holding a chart.

“Oh, quite a crowd we’ve got here. I just wanted to let you know that Castiel is being discharged so he can go ahead and go home. I do recommend bed rest for the next day and a half but he can go back to school Monday if he’s feeling up to it.”

Rebecca let out a sigh as the others looked relieved.

“What about the others?” Chuck asked.

“Their wounds are still being looked after and then they’ll be given into police custody.” The doctor answered.

The others nodded as Castiel began to slide out of the bed. Several of the others reached out to help him but somehow Dean’s hand got there first and Castiel clutched it it, looking up at him with surprise as his face turned red.

“Sorry.” Dean mumbled, moving to pull away.

Castiel squeezed it, keeping it in place.

“Thank you.” he said simply, using his help to stand up.

The others exchanged looks but didn’t think much of it as Castiel moved to pull on his jacket over the scrubs.

“Let’s get you home.” Rebecca said, looping her arm through his to steady him.

Castiel allowed himself to be led out, sparing one last glance at Dean and Jo before he left.

\----------

“Do you want something to eat?” Rebecca asked as she set Castiel up in his bed.

“A sandwich would be great. Thank you.” he replied, smiling up at her.

Suddenly the door slammed open and Michael and Lucifer walked in as well as Anna and Gabriel. His eyes widened at the sight of all of his siblings.

“What’s going on? Why are you here?” he asked, confused.

“Our little brother needed us.” Michael said simply.

Gabriel went over to his television and pulled out a DVD before popping it in. Castiel smiled when he saw the case. They were watching his favorite movie.

“Yeah but… you two have lives. You can’t keep coming here because of me.” he said, glancing between them.

Lucifer plopped onto his bed next to him.

“Yeah but we wanted to hear the story of your badassery from the man himself. Tell us everything, Cassie.” He urged him.

Anna laughed at his disgruntled look as she and Gabriel curled up on the edge of his bed and Michael sat on his other side.

“It’s not badassery.” Castiel corrected him. “It’s childish taunting and fighting and I just happened to get the upper hand because of what you barbarians taught me from a young age.”

“Well still… we want to hear it all.” Lucifer shrugged.

He sighed and settled back against his pillow as the menu screen for the movie came up on the screen.

\----------

“So what happened?” Jo asked as they walked through the hallway.

“They’re all on probation. We have a restraining order taken out both for me and for Samandriel to keep us safe. They’ve been expelled from the school upon both mine and Samandriel’s testimony.” He answered, ignoring the looks on him as he pulled his books out of his locker and put away his winter stuff into the locker.

She nodded, standing beside him as he did so.

“And have your parents asked who you were staying with Friday night?”

He froze before turning to her and shaking his head.

“I think it’s low on their list of priorities to think about.” Castiel said, closing his locker.

“They’ll remember it at some point though, right?” she questioned.

He shrugged.

“I hope not. But I suppose I should have an answer ready just in case.”

“Yeah, you probably should.” Jo agreed as they reached the door of her first class. “I’d hate for your parents to call out a restraining order on Dean as well.”

Castiel frowned with concern as he walked into his own classroom. They would have to be even more careful, especially if his parents were going to question his actions out of worry for his own safety.

\----------

By the time his free period rolled around, Castiel was exhausted and in pain. His abdomen was constantly reminding him that he had been beaten up three days earlier. He wrapped his scarf around his neck and pulled on his hat and jacket before walking out into the chilly air. A light dusting of snow was still on the ground where it had fallen in the middle of the night. As he began walking out to the garage, he noticed that white flurries were falling past his vision. He glanced up and saw that it was beginning to snow again. A smile formed on his face and he forgot about his pain in his wonder. Castiel had always loved snow. He hurried to the garage and threw the door open with a grin.

“It’s snowing!” he announced to Dean.

The mechanic was standing by his desk about to peel his jacket off.

“I noticed.” Dean said, smiling at him.

Castiel grinned and moved forward, relishing in the warm air of the garage.

“I love snow.” He admitted.

Dean walked towards him and tugged on his scarf.

“I like the winter wear you’ve got going on. It’s pretty adorable.” He acknowledged.

Castiel flushed, lowering his eyes. Dean hesitated before pulling him closer by his scarf and pressing a quick kiss to his lips.

“Just one.” He said, backing away with sparkling eyes as he moved towards his desk. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine.” Castiel said, walking to sit down. “I’m a bit nervous about this weekend and the show. I’m not quite so used to performing in front of others.”

Dean shook his head.

“I’m sure you’ll do great.” He encouraged him.

Castiel smiled at him, pulling his coat, scarf and hat off, leaving his hair a mess as usual.

“You’re still coming, right?” he questioned.

Dean nodded.

“I already bought my ticket and everything. I’m going with Jo and Ellen.” He said.

Castiel looked happy at the idea.

“Thank you for coming. I know it’s not exactly your idea of a good time but…”

“I’m looking forward to it, Cas. I get to watch you for a couple of hours without anyone looking at me weird for it. It’s a big plus for me.” he said with an easy grin.

Castiel laughed and nodded, twisting his scarf around his hands. He felt a giddy and pleased feeling bubbling up in his throat. Now that the Gordon problem was taken care of, he felt like he could relax at school again.

\----------

Class was already over and it was way past the end of school when Castiel walked out of the main building with his bag slung over his shoulder. It was still snowing and a good amount of it had built up on the ground. When he saw the figure moving towards the parking lot, a devious smile took over his face. He bent down, thankful for his gloves as he gathered the cold substance in his hands and began patting it into a ball. Cas snuck forward, trying to be as quiet as possible. When he finally launched the snowball and it connected with the back of Dean’s head, the mechanic stopped with a shocked look.

He turned as Castiel shook with laughter, shrugging. Dean smiled as well, shaking his head as he walked up to him. His leg kicked some snow up in his face before they began walking into the parking lot side-by-side.

“Why are you still here?” he questioned.

“Crowley wanted to talk to me about some things. Apparently the sheriff suggested some new practices for the school to prevent anything like what happened to me occurring again. He wanted to run them by me to see how a student would react. They’re putting up cameras all along the outside of the building so we have to be careful.” Castiel replied as they reached his car.

“That’s easy enough.” Dean said, shrugging.

“I don’t know. You are so very tempting in that leather jacket.” The dark-haired teenager said, smirking over at Dean.

The older male blushed before nudging him towards his car.

“Get outta here, you creep!” Dean said, rolling his eyes.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Dean.” Castiel said, laughing as he climbed into his car.

\----------

The next few days were crazy for Castiel and he barely had time for anything. Before he knew it, they’d peformed the first night to a smaller audience and it was the second and last performance. He was even more nervous than the night before. His entire family was out there as well as Dean, Jo, Ellen, and all of his friends except for Charlie who was Beatrice in the play. As he tied his tie in the mirror and the other cast and crew members bustled around behind him, he felt a presence beside him. When he glanced over, he saw that it was Samandriel.

“Are you nervous?” the younger boy asked. “I saw that your family is out there.”

Castiel nodded, taking a deep breath.

“You’re very good. I wouldn’t worry about it.”

He smiled slightly and straightened up once he finished.

“Thanks, Samandriel. You are very kind. Are you scared at all?” Castiel asked.

He shrugged and looked at the curtain that was drawn around the stage.

“My family didn’t come. They never do.” He said sadly.

Castiel looked at him with sympathy.

“If you’d like, my family is going out to dinner after the show. You can come.” He offered.

Samandriel looked thrilled by the invite but suddenly became sad.

“I can’t. My parents expect me home immediately afterwards. I would like to, though.” He admitted.

Castiel sighed and reached out to pat his shoulder.

“I’m proud of you for your effort. You have done very well in rehearsals and last night. You have every reason to feel good about this.”

The younger teenager looked grateful, nodding as they were called to the stage to start the play.

\----------

Any anxiety that Castiel had about performing disappeared when he caught sight of the bright green eyes in the audience. Once he looked into them, he felt anchored down and he was fine. He went through his performance with ease and for some reason, most likely to do with his brothers, the cheers were a bit louder when he walked out to take his bow at the end. When the curtain was drawn, the cast and crew all joined together in the back with elated looks on their faces. Even Miss Talbot looked thrilled.

“You all did wonderfully. Change out of your costumes and leave them hanging on the racks. I’ll see you all after the Christmas break. Have an excellent holiday.” She wished them with a grin before walking off to talk to the audience members about the spring play.

Castiel quickly pulled off his suit and pulled on his normal clothing. When he walked out, his family was waiting for him in the side aisle. They all cheered when he walked to them and was embraced lightly with several hugs. Gabriel mussed his hair and his mother attempted to smooth it out.

“You were amazing, Castiel.” Anna said, grinning at him before she kissed his cheek.

“Thank you.” he said, flushing.

“Well? Are we ready for dinner?” Chuck asked.

The others nodded but Castiel hesitated.

“Hang on, Dad. Jo is here and I want to see her first.” Castiel said, glancing around.

Sure enough, his best friend found him and embraced him.

“You were great!” She exclaimed, pulling away with a grin.

Castiel nodded gratefully, looking past her to see Dean, Bobby, and Ellen walking up behind her.

“Thank you all for coming.” He said to them, shooting sympathetic looks at the adults.

“You were very good, Castiel. I was impressed.” Ellen said.

Dean and Bobby murmured out their agreements as Castiel blushed even more. They all said goodbye to him and he promised to come by the Roadhouse the next week.They walked away and Castiel stared after Dean, wishing that he could talk to him for longer. When he turned to look at his family, his eyes immediately fell on his mother who was pale and wide-eyed.

“Rebecca?” Chuck asked, noticing as well.

Her eyes were trained on Dean.

“Mother?” Michael questioned when she still didn’t speak.

“I need to talk to you for a moment, Castiel.” She said in a wavering voice, reaching out to grasp his arm.

He shot a worried look at his family before following her towards the back of the theater as she wanted to ensure that they weren’t heard.

“Mother what is wrong?” he asked, concerned and confused.

“Where were you staying last Friday after you were attacked?” Rebecca demanded.

The color drained from his face and he looked at her with big eyes.

“Why does it matter? I was with a friend.” Castiel said, trying to get out of it.

She looked like she was about to start crying.

“Tell me where you were, Castiel!”

“I was with a friend from school. Why are you acting this way?” he questioned, stepping away from her.

“Because I recognize that jacket that Dean Winchester was wearing. I recognize it because I saw it in the back of your car. So please tell me where you were so that I don’t continue thinking this way. So that I don’t think that you are in an inappropriate relationship with your teacher.” Rebecca said quietly, glancing around to make sure that no one could hear.

Castiel’s heart stopped and he knew that he’d made a very big mistake.

“Jo left it in my car. She borrowed it from Dean at the Roadhouse a few weeks ago and accidentally left it in there.” he lied quickly, trying to stay ahead of her questioning.

“Do not lie to me, Castiel!” Rebecca hissed, not fooled. “Don’t tell me that you stayed at your teacher’s house!”

Before he could say another word, they were interrupted by someone else walking up to them.

“Hello darling.” Balthazar said, smiling charmingly at him.

Cas frowned over at him, wondering why he was with them.

“I wasn’t able to see how you were doing this week. I was very worried after you left my house Saturday.” He said.

He stared at the blond teenager for a moment as his mother glanced between them.

“I’m fine.” Castiel finally said, trying to keep the shock out of his voice. “Thank you for asking and for your hospitality the other day.”

Balthazar smiled charmingly at him before looking at his mother.

“I’m so sorry to interrupt you. I just wanted to check in on him. He’s so important to me. He did so well in the play tonight and I am very proud.” he said, throwing an arm over his shoulder.

Castiel fought back a flinch and forced a smile onto his face.

“You are too kind, Balthazar.” He said, looking over at him as he felt that he was too close for comfort.

Rebecca looked almost fooled until Balthazar spoke next.

“Only to you, Cassie.”

Her suspicions were back as she knew that he hated the nickname and that he would never agree with someone who called him that.

“Excuse us for a moment, Balthazar.” Rebecca said, shooting him a smile before she pulled Castiel away from him.

When she was absolutely certain that no one was watching or listening, she rounded on him.

“You must stop whatever you are doing, Castiel! It is stupid and dangerous! You are putting yourself and that man in danger! I’m not sure why you’re doing it but whatever thrill you are getting out of it is not worth it!”

Castiel wrenched away from her with a glare.

“It’s not about the thrill.” He fired back, a chill running down his spine when he realized that he’d confirmed to her what was going on.

Her eyes widened even more and she looked partly terrified and partly horrified.

“Castiel what are you doing? Why are you doing this? This is not you.” she breathed, reaching out towards him. “Gabriel or Lucifer, maybe. But you are not the type to be sneaking around with your teacher.”

Castiel gave her a hostile look.

“Maybe you just don’t know my that well, Mother.” He replied before turning to walk to Balthazar who was talking to one of their classmates.

“Balthazar.” Castiel sighed.

The other teenager turned to him with a surprised look.

“I would love it if you could get me out of here. I don’t particularly want to be around my family right now.” he said in a hurried voice.

“Castiel!” Rebecca said, shocked as he pulled Balthazar away.

“I will see you tomorrow, Mother. For now I’m going to spend time with my friend.” He hissed at her, in a hurry to get away before she could demand anymore information.

Castiel dragged him towards the exit and when they were outside, he allowed himself to take a breath.

“Anywhere in particular we’re going? I know that it’s most likely not my home.” Balthazar said, shoving his hands into his pockets.

He looked over at the flirty teenager with guilt on his face.

“I’m sorry, Balthazar. I didn’t mean to drag you into that but I had to get away.” Castiel sighed, kicking at the snow as he walked towards the parking lot.

“I noticed. You and your mother seemed to be in a heated discussion.” He replied.

Cas looked over at him with squinty eyes, suddenly afraid.

“What did you hear?” he questioned.

“Nothing much. You are with someone that your mother disapproves of and you needed saving. I can be more than an annoying prick, you know.” Balthazar said with a grin.

Castiel smiled back before glancing around.

“I came here with my brother. I don’t have a car.” He sighed.

Balthazar pulled out his keys and dangled them out.

“I agreed to give you a ride and that’s what I intended to do. Where would you like to go?”

Castiel thought for a moment before deciding on his home to be safe. Balthazar nodded and they walked to his shiny sports car. Castiel climbed in and shifted uncomfortably. It smelled too clean and new. He liked the smell of leather, car oil, and aftershave more and he realized that he was longing for Dean at the moment.

“I changed my mind.” He announced before giving Balthazar the directions.

\----------

“This doesn’t look like your usual hangout.” Balthazar commented as they pulled up to the apartment complex.

Castiel looked over at him, ignoring the comment as he gave him a grateful look.  
“Thank you for the ride. I owe you.” he said, opening the door.

“A kiss wouldn’t be out of the question.” The other male said, smirking at him.

Castiel rolled his eyes before stepping out.

“Yes it would.” He replied, waving at him before slamming the door closed.

He huddled in on himself as he walked up to the row of doors. After a glance back to ensure that Balthazar was gone and that no one else was watching, he reached out and knocked on the door. There was a few moments of silence before he heard the locks moving and the door opened to reveal a surprised looking Dean.

“What are you doing here, Cas?” he asked, stepping aside to allow him in.

He shivered as the warm air enveloped him.

“I got in a fight with my mother again.” Castiel admitted.

Dean looked at him with a frown.

“Cas we really gotta be careful about this. People around this town know who you are and…”

Castiel launched forward and captured his lips in a kiss.

“I need this night with you, Dean.” He whispered against his lips. “I need it.”

Dean pulled away with a concerned look.

“What’s going on, Cas?” he questioned.

He looked up at him as the seriousness of the situation was bearing down on him.

“My mother knows.”

Dean’s heart stopped for a moment he stepped away, shaking his head.

\----------

“What happened? Why did Castiel leave?” Michael questioned as they walked into the house.

Rebecca sighed heavily and moved towards the stairs.

“He’s had a hard time lately. He’s just coping with all of it.” She said, moving up them slowly to her bedroom.

They watched her go before the siblings and their father all exchanged curious looks. Something was going on and they felt very out of the loop. Chuck moved to follow her, intent on finding out what was going on with his son.

“What do you think it is?” Anna questioned lowly as they moved into the kitchen to talk.

“Whatever it is, Castiel and Mother were having a very heated discussion before he left. Whatever it is, they’re disagreeing on it which is strange. Castiel never disagrees with anyone unless it is to do with academics but I doubt they were arguing over chemistry and calculus.” Gabriel answered, perching on the counter with his knees drawn to his chest.

The others remained quiet as they contemplated what could be going on.

\----------

Castiel watched as Dean paced back and forth.

“She won’t do anything.” He said.

“You don’t know that.” the older male replied, glancing at him.

“I know my mother. She is kind and not at all vengeful. If I ask her, if I plead with her, she won’t do anything.” Castiel reassured him, standing up to take his hands and stop his anxiety.

Dean stared at him.

“Then why did you come in like you were afraid? You said we had to have this night like we wouldn’t have any other nights.” He said.

Castiel swallowed hard, clenching his hands around Dean’s.

“There is a chance that she will have terms.” He sighed. “If I make her promise not to pursue this or do anything to harm you, she might make me promise not to see you again.”

Panic flashed through Dean’s eyes and he looked distressed. Castiel let out a small noise of sadness and pulled him in, bringing their lips together once more.

“I’m here, Dean.” He whispered against his mouth. “I don’t know what’s going to happen but I’m here now.”

Castiel pulled away to look in his eyes, a pleading look in his own blue orbs.

“Can we please enjoy this night? We won’t be interrupted and we won’t have to deal with anything until the morning. Please just give me this. Give yourself this.” he begged.

Dean relaxed under his pleading gaze and pulled him back in, placing a soft kiss to his lips as he pulled his coat off slowly. Castiel inhaled sharply as Dean’s hands gripped his hips. They stumbled towards the door that led out of the living room. Dean fumbled with it, refusing to remove his lips from the other male’s as he pushed it open and they fell through. Castiel’s hands gripped his t-shirt and he pulled away long enough to lift it over his head. Dean dragged him towards the bed and they fell on it at once.

They laid on their sides kissing roughly and passionately with their hands exploring. Castiel’s shirt was lifted off of his head and Dean pushed him onto his back, hovering over him. Their eyes met and Dean pushed his panic aside, smiling at him as his eyes showed warmth. His hand came up to stroke his cheek to his mouth where he ran his thumb over the lower lip. His mouth lowered and he skimmed it over his jaw up to his ear. His tongue ran over the shell of his ear before his teeth scraped the lobe. Castiel gasped and bucked upwards as sparks of pleasure went through his nerves. Dean’s mouth traveled down to his throat to his shoulder.

When he began sucking and biting at his skin, Castiel thought that he was going to scream. Dean pulled away after several minutes, content with the red mark he left in a spot that would surely bruise in a place that was easy to cover up but still visible for himself and Castiel. The dark-haired teenager lifted up, capturing his lips in a kiss again before he turned them over. He was once again straddling his lap. His hands were planted on Dean’s chest as he rocked his hips. The mechanic groaned, his head falling back as his hands went to his hips and gripped them tightly enough to leave bruises.

“I want to do something.” Castiel whispered as he bent down, his lips ghosting over Dean’s ear.

“Do it.” Dean replied with a rough voice, too filled with lust and heat to deny the teenager anything.

Castiel began kissing down his chest, his warm breath and open-mouthed kisses leaving his skin tingling. When he reached his navel, his tongue darted out and circled it as his thumbs massaged circles into Dean’s skin. Dean lifted his head in time to see Castiel glance up at him. One of his hands came down and deftly undid the button and zipper of his jeans as a slight smile formed on his face.

“I’ve never done this so forgive me if I’m wrong.” He murmured.

Dean lifted his hips helpfully and allowed him to pull his pants down to his knees. Castiel lifted up and his hand stroked Dean through the thin material of his boxers as he kicked his pants off.

“Please Cas…” he whispered. “Need more.”

His hands hooked in his boxers and he slowly pulled them down his body, freeing his erection. Castiel bit his lip as he glanced up at Dean before looking back at his swollen flesh. Once his boxers were gone, his hand enclosed around it and he slid it up and down the length several times. Dean reached for his jeans but Castiel stopped him, shaking his head. The other man whimpered and trembled underneath him.

“Not yet.” He murmured before his thumb swept over the head, circling it before teasing the vein on the underside.

Dean let his head fall back, clenching his hand in the sheets. When he felt Castiel shift, he waited for what would happen yet. When he felt a new sensation and quickly realized what it was, he fought the urge to buck his hips up. Castiel ran his tongue over the tip of his cock, tasting the pre-come there.

“Fuck, Cas!” Dean yelled.

Castiel smiled slightly before closing his hips around the head and circling it with his tongue. He knew the basic concept of this act and was smart enough to close his lips around his teeth. Dean’s cock was hot and heavy on his tongue as he slid down slowly as far as he could with choking himself. The mechanic’s hands weaved into his hair but didn’t force him up or down nor did he buck into his mouth. He simply guided Castiel slowly to allow him to get used to the feeling. His hand enclosed around his erection to make up for whatever his mouth didn’t touch.

Despite the lack of personal pleasure that this brought Castiel, he still felt his own cock throbbing in his pants as he bobbed up and down on Dean. It was far more pleasant than he ever imagined. The noises and words falling from Dean’s mouth made it even better. His other hand moved underneath him and fondled Dean’s balls gently, bringing even more pleasure to him. Dean’s head thrashed around as he tried to keep a slight grip on reality. What Cas lacked in experience, he certainly made up for in enthusiasm. Dean found himself approaching his release far sooner than he expected.

“Cas… Cas I’m close.” He said.

Castiel inhaled deeply through his nose before sliding down as far as he could, fighting back his gag reflex as the head hit the back of his throat. He hollowed his cheeks out and looked up at Dean, their eyes meeting. It was the last straw for the older male and he shouted the dark-haired teenager’s name. Castiel jerked with surprise when the warm liquid hit the back of his throat but he quickly swallowed instinct. Dean slowly pulled away as his orgasm shook his body. A few white drops dribbled out of Castiel’s mouth as he drew away. The teenager crawled up his body as he wiped his mouth and smiled at him.

“It was better than I expected.” Castiel admitted, his voice sounding even rougher than normal as he pulled Dean’s boxers back up his legs to fit over his hips.

Dean yanked him down to a bruising kiss and licked around his mouth, eager to taste himself on his cheeks and tongue. When Castiel pulled away, Dean quickly rolled them over and looked down at him expectantly.

“My turn.” He mumbled, swooping down to attack his throat as he fumbled with the button and zipper.

Castiel watched with an open mouth and glazed eyes as he kissed down his torso, his lips gentle on his still healing bruises.

“Dean.” Castiel said, touching his shoulder.

The green-eyed male glanced up at him with lust-darkened eyes.

“I don’t… I want you to do something different. Something like you were doing last time but… further.” He requested.

Dean’s eyebrows raised and he looked surprised. A slow smile bloomed on his face and he nodded.

“If you’re sure, Cas.” He said, sitting up.

He nodded.

“I’m positive. Please, Dean.” Castiel breathed.

Dean smiled wider and pulled him in, kissing him deeply.

“Take off your pants and boxers.” He murmured against his lips before sliding off of the bed.

Castiel did as he said, watching as Dean slid off of the bed and walked to his beside table. When he pulled out a little bottle, his heart leapt and eager anticipation filled him. Dean returned to him, hovering over him as he picked up a pillow.

“You’re absolutely sure?” he questioned one last time to make sure.

“Yes, Dean! Please!” Castiel said desperately, moaning and throwing his head back as Dean stroked his erection.

The mechanic lifted his hips and pushed the pillow underneath them to elevate him.

“Tell me if you want me to stop at any time.” Dean said warily as he nudged his legs apart.

Castiel nodded, swallowing hard as his heart pounded.

“I trust you, Dean.” He said honestly.

Warmth filled the older male’s chest and he smiled tenderly, dropping down to kiss him lightly.

“I’ll take care of you, Cas.” He murmured before his hand drifted down to stroke his cock and his balls.

Then his hand moved lower and his finger circled his entrance. Castiel’s hips shifted as a slight whimper escaped from his throat.

“Please Dean… I need… I need you.” he stammered.

“Shh.” Dean whispered soothingly, his other hand popping the cap open of the bottle. “I got you, Cas.”

He applied the lubricant to his fingers and rubbed them together, warming the liquid before he moved back to his entrance. Castiel tensed up for a moment when he felt the finger press against him. Dean’s other hand went to his hip, his thumb massaging circles into his skin comfortingly.

“Relax, Cas. It’s not going to be good if you don’t.” he urged him, moving up to kiss him lightly as he circled the hole, ensuring that it was thoroughly coated in the lube.

He felt the muscles give way and he smiled, nodding as he pulled away.

“That’s good.” He encouraged, lifting his hand to run through Castiel’s hair.

When his finger pushed in slightly, the dark-haired teenager’s eyes squeezed shut and he gritted his teeth. At first, his body tried to expel the intrusion. Dean pulled out a little before pushing back in, patiently waiting on him to relax more. He twisted his finger around and was finally able to push it deeper. Castiel let out a breath and his body relaxed a little more, his hands gripping Dean’s shoulders.

“Please, Dean.” He whispered, his head tossed back but his eyes open once again and fixed on Dean.

The older male smiled encouragingly at him, trying to control his reaction at the tight heat surrounding his finger. He pumped it in and out a few times before his second finger circled his entrance as well. Castiel tensed up for a moment before relaxing immediately.

“Good.” Dean praised quietly, sliding in shallowly before pulling back out and pushing in a little bit more.

Castiel bit his lip and whimpered at the burning feeling as the two fingers stretched him out more.

“It’ll get better, Cas.” he encouraged him. “I promise.”

As soon as he had the walls coated in lubricant, he began searching for the spot that would make him scream. His finger crooked towards him as he pulled his fingers back. He felt a different textured spot just as Castiel let out a throaty yell and his hips bucked upwards. Dean smiled slightly and brushed his prostate again, making him writhe and grind against his hand.

“I told you.” he said triumphantly as he continued moving his fingers in and out, brushing the spot every time.

Castiel gasped his name as his hand went to his own cock, pumping it eagerly as he spread his legs more and begged Dean to continue. The older male lifted himself up more and watched as the teenager writhed on the bed, his skin flushed and pure pleasure on his face. He stimulated the spot even more, unable to tear his eyes away from the amazing sight before him. He bit his lip and replaced Castiel’s hand with his, pumping his cock as he rubbed his prostate relentlessly. The teenager was a sobbing mess, his hands clenching in the sheets as his hips gyrated eagerly and licentious moans escaped from his mouth.

Finally his walls clenched down on Dean’s fingers and he cried out as wave after wave of pleasure rolled through him. Dean moved up and kissed him eagerly as he pumped him through the orgasm, withdrawing his fingers. Castiel whimpered against his mouth as his hands slid into his hair. Finally his body stopped spasming and Dean let him go, drawing away. Castiel laid there as he cleaned them both up. When his boxers were pulled back up, Dean pulled the blankets up and over them.

“I liked that very much.” Castiel acknowledged once he got his voice back.

Dean chuckled and pulled on him. Cas rolled over and curled into Dean’s side, laying his head on his chest and resting his arm across his stomach. Their legs entangled together and Dean’s fingers ran through his hair.

“I’m glad we have tonight.” He murmured, staring at the ceiling with a happy haze still clouding his panicked emotions.

“As am I.” Castiel replied, stroking his hand up and down his chest.

Dean bent his neck and kissed his forehead.

“Let’s get some sleep.”

\----------

Castiel walked begrudgingly towards the door. They’d postponed the inevitable as long as possible, making out, eating breakfast, making out, watching tv, and making out more. Now they knew that Castiel had to leave. Dean was going to take him home, neither caring whether anyone at his house saw them now considering that they probably all knew at that point. Dean was holding his hand as he led him to the door. When he unlocked it and pulled it open, they both stopped short. A person was standing there with his fist raised as if he was just about to knock. Shock showed on the visitor’s face as he took in the scene before him. Dean’s hand squeezed Castiel’s as his eyes widened and he looked panicked.

“Dean?” Sam questioned, looking like he was having a hard time processing. “What’s going on?”


	19. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel and Dean sit down to talk with their family members and hear a few surprising things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for being patient with me. I’m still getting settled and trying to figure out what to do with my life. You are all amazing and I love you!
> 
> A very happy eighteenth birthday to a lovely reader of mine, Harleigh! I hope that you have a wonderful day!

“End of the line?” Dean questioned, glancing over at him.

Castiel glanced back at him, considering his words before shaking his head.

“No.” he decided, reaching out to take his hand. “I don’t think that it is.”

The other man looked confused, furrowing his brow.

“What do you mean? I mean your mom…”

He squeezed Dean’s hand gently.

“I don’t feel like it’s the end. I think we’ll get through this.” Castiel said, looking out of the windshield at the town around them.

He hesitated, looking back over at him with an uncertain look.

“You do want to get through this?”

Dean looked back, his eyes wide.

“Of course I do. It’s the best damn thing to happen to me in a while, I don’t care if the whole world tells me it’s inappropriate. I care about you, Cas. That’s not wrong or bad. It’s just emotions and I’m okay with that. So yeah, I want to get through this.”

Castiel smiled slightly, nodding before he glanced out of the window.

“What are you going to tell your brother? He’s going to have questions.”

Dean shrugged, taking a deep breath.

“The truth, if that’s all right with you.” he said. “Sam will understand. He’s a pretty good guy. I know you haven’t had much time to experience that but I promise it’s true.”

Castiel bit his lip, glancing back at him.

“I trust your judgment, Dean.”

Dean glanced over at him, a slight smile on his face.

“What are you going to tell your mom?” he questioned after a few moments of silence.

Cas inhaled deeply, squeezing Dean’s hand tighter than he meant to at the question.

“The truth.” He answered automatically, knowing he had no other choice. “If that’s all right with you.”

Dean nodded, turning onto his street. His eyes widened when Castiel pointed at his house and he pulled into the driveway.

“This is… a hell of a house.” Dean commented, looking up at it.

Castiel shrugged, not sure how to react to what he said. The other male’s eyes narrowed for a moment before he looked normal once again.

“I guess my place is about the size of your kitchen.”

Cas frowned at him for a moment, wondering why Dean was dwelling on this.

“I’ll see you?” he questioned, changing the subject.

Dean nodded, looking distant as he glanced up at his house. Once his eyes returned to Cas, he smiled at him.

“Yeah, you will.” Dean agreed.

Castiel relaxed slightly and glanced over his shoulder before leaning in and pressing his lips to Dean’s, his hand weaving into his hair.

“Cas.” Dean murmured against his lips, sounding surprised.

“Just kiss me.” he sighed, nibbling on his lower lip before delving into his mouth.

Dean responded, pulling him in closer. Cas pulled away eventually, staring at him for a moment before pushing his door open.

“I’ll text you.” he vowed before sliding out of the car.

As soon as he walked in, Castiel was faced with his mother rushing into the room.  
“Oh thank God.” She murmured, pulling him into her chest and wrapping her arms around him tightly.

Castiel hesitated before embracing her, patting her back several times. Rebecca pulled away and sighed, reaching up to pat his cheek. He stared at her with confusion, not certain why she was acting so relieved and unbothered.

“Everyone else is gone. I ushered them out of the house.” She said, taking his hand and leading him into the living room. “We need to talk without an audience.”

\----------

Dean hesitated, taking a deep breath before opening the door to his apartment. Sam was, unsurprisingly, waiting for him on his couch. He looked up, looking as wary as Dean felt. The door closed and they remained silent for a moment, staring around awkwardly.

“Why are you in Lawrence?” Dean questioned, breaking the silence.

Sam looked up at him.

“My break started. Jess is with some extended family right now. She’ll be up here in a few days.” He answered.

Dean nodded, rocking back and forth on his heels as he put his hands in his jeans pockets. Sam sighed heavily, his shoulders dropping.

“Dean, why did you have a student in your apartment? Why were you holding hands?” he asked bluntly.

The older Winchester flushed slightly, taking a deep breath before moving into the living room and sitting down in a chair. He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and looked up at his little brother.

“You gotta promise not to freak out.”

\----------

Rebecca stared at the wall for several minutes, remaining silent as she processed everything that he’d told her. Her lips pressed together and then released. Her teeth chewed into the lower lip and she took a deep breath, letting it out in a long sigh. Castiel remained perfectly still, simply watching her and waited for her reaction. Her eyes finally flickered back to him and she sat up straight once more.

“Are you all right, Castiel?”

He looked at her with confusion, not expecting for these to be the first words out of her mouth.

“I’m not sure I know what… are you not angry? Won’t you shout or ground me?”

Rebecca smiled sadly, shaking her head as she reached out to take his hand.

“I’m not angry with you, Castiel. I’m a little annoyed that you’ve kept this secret for so long and that you weren’t at home or at dinner last night. But I’m not angry with you. All that I am concerned about at the moment is whether you are all right.”

Castiel stared at her before nodding slowly.

“I’m fine.” He assured her.

Rebecca didn’t look convinced, raising an eyebrow at him.

“This man… he’s treating you right? He’s not blackmailing you or offering favors in exchange for anything?”

Castiel shook his head emphatically, focused on getting his point across.

“Dean would never do such things. He’s an honest man, Mother. I know it doesn’t seem like it but he’s good. This situation only exists because the world is not an accepting place. We would have been together months ago if things were different. He truly cares for me and I care for him. Yes I’m eighteen but he’s only twenty-four. It’s not that much of an age gap.”

Rebecca nodded slowly, pressing her hand to her mouth and rubbing it softly.

“Have you… are you… pursuing a physical relationship?” she questioned.

Castiel’s cheeks colored and he looked back at her.

“Do you really want to pursue that line of questioning?” he asked

She sighed and shook her head.

“I suppose that I do not.”

\----------

Sam was pacing and rubbing his jaw insistently as Dean watched him from where he was sitting.

“Have you had sex?” he asked plainly.

“Damn it, Sammy.” Dean said, looking up at him with wide eyes. “You really get to the point.”

Sam sighed and looked at him with an exasperated look.

“Did you ever have sex on campus?”

Dean frowned at him, shaking his head.

“Why are you asking me these questions?” he questioned.

Sam took a deep breath before turning to face him.

“I’m trying to look at this from an outsider’s point of view, from a lawyer’s point of view. I’m trying to decide whether or not the freaking mayor can sue you for touching his son.” He said seriously, sounding slightly angry.

Dean stood up, his brow furrowed and his mouth turned down.

“I’m not asking for a lawyer. That’s not what I need right now. I need my little brother, I need you to understand.”

Sam sighed and turned away, shaking his head.

“You could get in a lot of trouble for this, Dean.”

He shrugged, not bothered by it.

“I’ve been in trouble before. This would hardly be a bad way to go out.” Dean said.

Sam looked over at him once more.

“I understand. I know why you did this. It’s obvious that Castiel is a great guy and that his family is good but Dean that doesn’t mean that it’s all right to go around doing whatever the hell you’re doing.”

“Why not?” Dean asked.

Sam looked at him with a surprised expression.

“Because he’s eighteen. He’s your student and if any of this goes bad, you’ll be to blame. None of them would dare blame the precious son of the mayor. You’ll get run out of town, Dean. Dad will have to leave too. No one will ever stop scrutinizing our family and they’ll take it out on our friends too.”

Dean shook his head.

“Or that doesn’t happen. Things don’t go bad and everything is normal. We’re not that different from other couples.”

Sam rolled his eyes, looking like he wanted to call bullshit on that.

“Normal? So you walk up to his door and knock on it, talk to his dad about curfew and shotguns before you take him out on the town? You cruise through the streets with your windows down holding his hand? You take him to dinner and sit in an open table, not caring about who sees? You take him to a movie? Dancing? You take him on a stroll through main street?”

Dean clenched his jaw as he stared him down, his frustration clearly building.

“You’re not like other couples and the sooner you admit that the better off you’ll be. I’m on your side here, Dean. I know you don’t believe it but I might be the only one that is. I don’t want to see you get hurt and that’s all that I see happening here.” Sam sighed, really trying to communicate to his stubborn brother.

The older Winchester shook his head, sitting back in his chair.

“Cas is on my side, Sam. He’s on my side and I’m on his. This isn’t just exciting. I don’t do it for the thrill of sneaking around. Trust me, I want to do everything you just said and more. I want this to be…” Dean hesitated, looking pained for a moment. “I want this to be normal. Castiel does too. He would give anything to have us be able to be like any other couple but both of us came into this realizing that we wouldn’t be able to act like that, at least not at first. All I ask of you is that you give us a chance. I want you to give Cas a chance. I know that you would get along, Sammy. I know that you would love him. He’s a big nerd like you. He loves reading and he wants to be a damn surgeon.”

Sam looked at Dean as he talked about the teenager. He was taken aback by the slight smile on his face and the soft, warm expression in his eyes.

“You really like him.” he recognized.

Dean’s eyes flickered to him and he nodded, leaning forward and balancing his elbows on his knees as he clasped his hands.

“I do… and I want you to like him too.” He admitted.

Sam took a deep breath, sitting back and nodding. He knew that he was giving into his brother’s pleading gaze but he hadn’t seen anything make him this happy since before their father found out about him being gay. To be honest, he hadn’t seen him this happy since Dean was in high school.

“I’ll give him a chance. I’ll meet him, for real.” He agreed.

A smile broke across Dean’s face.

“You’ll love him.” he breathed.

Sam lifted his head slightly and squinted at Dean.

“Do you?”

Dean looked confused for a moment.

“Love him? Do you love him?” Sam questioned.

His older brother looked shocked at the question, remaining silent as his mouth opened and closed several times. He flushed and looked away, fiddling with his fingers and shrugging. It was all the answer Sam needed and it terrified him. Either his brother was already in love with the eighteen-year-old or he was dangerously close to tipping over the edge. Either way, if Castiel didn’t feel the same way then there was no way that his brother was coming out of this unscathed and that thought didn’t give Sam a lot of confidence in anything. But he was still going to give it all a chance.

\----------

“I’ve made a decision.” Rebecca said, looking up at him.

Castiel stared at her intently, his heart pounding as he waited to hear.

“I do not feel comfortable keeping a secret but I also do not like to share something that is not mine to share. I will let you take your time in informing the rest of the family, including your father, about this. I recognize that it is difficult and I admire your bravery in even coming to me and telling me the truth though it took a few lies to get there. I want to trust you Castiel and despite a few hiccups, I’ve been able to trust you for your entire life. I cannot say whether you are making a mistake because I do not know.”

Castiel took a deep breath.

“What about your parents?” he asked.

Her eyes widened slightly.

“How many people told them that they were making a mistake?”

Rebecca pressed her lips together and nodded.

“A great many people. My first instinct is to say that the situation was different. She was older and as was he. I do not know if that makes it better or worse. I will not judge your relationship nor will I judge your teacher.”

“Dean.” Castiel corrected her. “You should call him Dean.”

She swallowed hard, her mind rebelling against his casual use of the name even though she knew that they went far beyond the teacher-student relationship.

“I know that it may not always seem like it but I really do have your best interests at heart, Castiel. I only want to make sure you’re safe. If you are all right, then I will not tell you how to live your life. I realize that will only end in heartache for the entire family. If I’d taken that approach with my children, I’m afraid I may not be very close with any of you.” she admitted.

Cas reached out and took her hand, squeezing it gently.

“I’m safe, Mother. I’m all right. I’m happy.” He assured her.

She smiled slightly and nodded.

“At the end of the day, that is all that I need to know.” Rebecca informed him.

He smiled back, thrilled that the conversation had gone much better than he ever imagined.

“I apologize for my behavior last night and for any wrongdoing before. I was simply terrified for your wellbeing and I thought that I was looking out for you. I realize now that I was being a bit insane about it.” she said, looking slightly ashamed.

“I do not blame you, Mother. I realize that you were panicking and that you had every right to do so. You still do. I know that this is unconventional and most likely not the path of life that you wanted for me at eighteen-years-old but I only ask that you give it a chance. Perhaps you can meet Dean and decide his character for yourself. I know that he would be happy to get to know you and I know that once you learn more of him, you’ll be more confident in the fact that I am not in danger here.”

Rebecca sighed, squeezing his hand.

“I will not force you into anything Castiel but I will warn you. You do not experience many things that normal teenagers do, you never have. But I’m afraid there is one universal constant among every young man or woman that even applies to you. Heartbreak is devastating and very difficult to get over. I do not want that for you and I have every hope that it will not happen, but I still have to be realistic. I will meet Dean if you wish me to and I will give him a chance to show me the man that he is but when it comes down to it, you are my priority. If I think that he is harming you in any way or that he might give you the heartbreak that you do not deserve, I will not stand by idly and watch.” She warned him.

Castiel nodded, feeling doubtful that her fears were going to happen.

“I would expect nothing less of you.” he assured her, leaning in to kiss her cheek. “You are a wonderful mother despite what I may have implied last night.”

Rebecca reached up to cradle his cheek in her hand.

“I love you, Castiel.” She said, bestowing a kiss to his forehead.

“I love you, Mother.”

\----------

Castiel awoke on Monday with a light feeling in his stomach. He was happy and he wanted nothing more than to drive straight to Dean’s apartment to tell him. Unfortunately he did not know how everything went with his brother. Dean hadn’t answered his texts the previous night except to tell him that he was at the Roadhouse with Sam. When he walked downstairs, he saw his family gathered in the living room, Gabriel gesturing wildly about something. The others laughed raucously and he grinned, moving to take a step forward. He suddenly realized they hadn’t seen him and stopped short, simply watching.

Their smiles all lit up their faces and his father was clapping happily. They were all in a very good mood. They were all having a joyous time and he was not there. Suddenly he felt alienated from his family in a way he hadn’t ever before. Sure he’d always been different from his brothers and sisters but he never felt separated from them. They always ensured that he was not made to feel like he was not one of them. But now he did not see a place for himself in the crowded living room. It was a strange feeling that send a cold chill down his spine as he stepped backwards.

Rebecca caught sight of the movement, her eyes lifting and sparkling when she saw him. Her mouth opened to say his name but he shook his head, stepping backwards again. Suddenly her smile fell and she frowned with worry as he reached towards the table. Castiel swallowed hard, looking away as he turned towards the front door and opened it, stepping out into the bitter cold and walking down the driveway towards his lone junker of a car.

He got five miles down the road before his car sputtered to a stop on the side. Castiel took a deep breath before half-heartedly hitting the steering wheel. He stepped out and walked around to the engine, opening the hood and peeking in as if he had half a hope of spotting what was wrong. Of course he wouldn’t. Despite his study, he still didn’t really know what to do at the moment. He fished his phone out of his pocket and scrolled through his contacts, stopping on the famiiar name and pressing talk. Castiel shivered against the cold as he waited for an answer.

“Hello?” Dean said, sounding sleepy.

“Did I wake you up?” he asked, concerned.

“No.” the other man groaned. “I’m just hungover. What’s up? Why are you up? Don’t kids usually sleep in on their winter break?”

Castiel smiled at the sound of his voice.  
“I suppose I still have a few things to learn.” He said.

Dean let out a laugh and then groaned again.

“What’s going on? You sound cold.”

Castiel took a shuddering breath, glancing around.

“My car broke down again.” He admitted.

“I swear your car is this close to dying, Cas. You better win the car in my class or you’re going off to your fancy college on a bicycle.” Dean said.

Cas heard the jingling of keys on the other end and the sound of a door opening.

“So I’ve heard.” He sighed. “I’m sorry to call you it’s just… I just… I don’t think that I have anyone else.”

There was silence on the other end of the phone for a few moments. When Dean spoke again, his voice was softer and comforting.

“I’m here for you, Cas. I’ll be there in a few minutes. Where are you?”

Castiel breathed a sigh of relief before telling him his location.

“Thank you, Dean.”

\----------

“Looks like you got a few cables loose, that’s all.” Dean said, reaching down into the engine to tighten them. “If it doesn’t start, I can get a truck to come pick it up and taken into the shop. Bobby’ll look at it there.”

Castiel nodded, rubbing his hands together as he fought the coldness seeping into his body. Dean noticed as he glanced up at him. He held out the keys to his Impala.

“Go sit in the car and warm up.”

“I’m fine.” Cas said instantly, automatically stubborn.

Dean raised his eyebrow at him and he sighed, reaching out to take the keys.

“Thank you.”

He walked to the black car and slid into the passenger’s seat, sighing with relief once he turned it on and the heated air washed over him. Several minutes later, Dean walked up and climbed into the driver’s seat.

“It’s not just the cables. Someone’s on their way to pick it up now.” He informed him.

Castiel nodded, looking at him.

“Thank you for coming.” He said, especially grateful because of Dean’s hangover.

“Anytime.” Dean nodded, uncaring of his own personal comfort. “You want to tell me what’s going on?”

He hesitated, glancing down at his hands where they were thawing out.

“My mother took it surprisingly well. She said that as long as I was all right, she was all right. She agreed to meet you and form her own opinion of you, if that is something you would ever be comfortable with.” He explained.

Dean nodded, looking relieved.

“Yeah, yeah of course. Sam agreed to the same thing. He wants to spend time with you. What about the rest of your family?”

Castiel looked up at him.

“She said that I could tell them at my own pace, that she would not tell them for me. I am more concerned for their reactions than hers. My siblings are very overprotective, as is my father. I’m not sure how they would react knowing that I’m with someone at all, much less that the someone is… you.” he said.

Dean stared back at him, still looking at him with understanding.

“But you’ll tell ‘em at some point, yeah?”

Castiel hesitated before smiling slightly.

“Yes, of course.” He nodded.

Dean grinned and reached out to take his hand. He didn’t quite make it, pulling away when he saw the tow truck pulling out. He got out to talk to the man behind the wheel and to help him hook up Castiel’s car, leaving the dark-haired male alone to think. The thought of telling the rest of his family about his relationship was more terrifying than he cared to admit. More than anything, he was not afraid of them becoming angry and going on a mob hunt for Dean’s testicles. He was more concerned about losing their good favor, which was even scarier at this time when he already felt separated from them.

“Sammy’s at the Roadhouse visiting with Ellen and Jo.” Dean said once he got back into the car. “You wanna go to my apartment and hang out there?”

Castiel nodded, leaning back in his seat. Dean grinned at him, turning on his music and blasting it through the speakers before pulling out. He smiled as well, happy to feel the music thumping through his veins and to see the beauty of the man beside him who was so eager to let Castiel in despite his troubled past. He wanted to reach out and take his hand but he knew that it was not wise so he kept his hands to himself for the drive. Once they pulled up to his apartment, Dean glanced around outside before nodding that the coast was clear.

As they walked up to the door, neither of them noticed the eyes watching them from the door of an apartment. Meg hadn’t intended to be there, she was simply visiting a family member. But now that she was here, she was glad that she came. Her eyes tracked the two males as they walked to a door laughing and talking. She squinted at them, watching as Dean pushed the door open and gestured for Castiel to walk in. Just as the dark-haired male did so, she saw the mechanic’s hand brush over his back and lay on his hip as he followed him inside, a very intimate gesture. A slow smirk formed on her face, as she knew exactly what to do now.


	20. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cas and Sam spend time together. Christmas comes and Castiel has something special planned for Dean.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m going to skip around a little bit just for the purpose of time. I’m wanting to get somewhere specific in the next few chapters so I can’t dwell too much. This is the Christmas chapter and it completely focuses on Dean and Cas, not their family Christmases, I hope you don’t mind.

**Same Day**

Castiel reclined on the couch, his legs spread to accommodate Dean’s torso. The older male was sitting on the ground leaning back against the couch with his legs spread out on the ground. Castiel’s fingers were tangled in his hair, massaging his aching head slowly much to Dean’s pleasure. He let out a slow moan and leaned his head back to look up at him with glazed eyes.

“This feels amazing.” He murmured.

Castiel smiled down at him, his thumbs massaging into his temples.

“If you wouldn’t get drunk, this wouldn’t be necessary.” He said quietly, bending down to press a soft kiss to his lips.

Dean let out a sigh and his eyes fluttered closed.

“Good idea. Never let me drink again.” He grumbled, shaking his head and wincing at the movement.

The dark-haired male laughed quietly and continued massaging his head.

“My mother wants to spend time with us.” he said.

Dean didn’t react as he thought, simply opening his eyes.

“Sam wants to do the same.” He replied.

Castiel nodded, chewing on his lip. Dean’s hand came up and slid into his, squeezing lightly.

“Hey, it’ll be okay.” He assured him, smiling warmly. “We’ve figured everything out so far and we’ll figure this out too.”

He smiled back, feeling warmth spreading through his chest as he took a deep breath.

“You’re right.” Cas agreed, reaching down to lay his hand over Dean’s cheek.

“Hell yeah I am.” He said with a grin, lifting his head and turning to face him on his knees.

Castiel placed both hands on his cheeks and leaned forward to kiss him. Dean exhaled against his lips and leaned into the embrace, his hands sliding up his torso as he pushed himself up. Cas allowed himself to be turned and pushed back onto the couch. Dean hovered over him, settling between his legs. Their lips didn’t disconnect, their tongues battling for dominance as their hands explored each other’s bodies. Their gasps and moans filled the air as their bodies rutted together. Suddenly the door opened and their heads whipped over to see Sam walk in. He stopped short with wide eyes, clutching the grocery bags in his hands.

“Hey Sammy.” Dean said, smiling guiltily.

Castiel flushed a deep red color as they shifted away from each other. Sam was blushing as well, trying not to look at them until they were separated.

“Hello Sam.” he said quietly, averting his eyes from both brothers.

“Hey Castiel.” The younger Winchester said, smiling politely at him.

There was an awkward silence that filled the room as the males all wondered what to say next.

“His car broke down so Cas is hanging out here until Bobby fixes it.” Dean informed his brother.

“Oh.” Sam nodded, glancing between them. “Well I got some food. You want to eat?”

They both nodded, relieved that they could break the tension with something. Sam walked into the kitchen and Dean gestured for Cas to stay, following him. Castiel heard low murmurs but ignored them, pulling out his phone to let his mother know where he was. It was a bit of a relief to be able to tell her the truth, especially since he could follow it up with the news that Sam was there as well so that she wouldn’t question him about exactly what they were doing. When he got a text back telling him to simply have fun, he relaxed slightly. However, his shoulders immediately tensed up when Dean and Sam came back in the room carrying chips and drinks.

Castiel and Sam both had bottles of water but when he saw Dean with a beer in hand, he narrowed his eyes. As he moved to open the beer, Cas reached out and snatched it from him hand automatically without really thinking. Dean looked shocked, his eyes widening as he stared at his confiscated drink.

“You told me not to let you drink.” Castiel reminded him, handing him another bottle of water.

Sam let out a sputtering laugh, covering it up with a cough as Dean gaped between them silently.

“Okay, I don’t care what’s going on.” The younger brother said, looking at Castiel with a grin on his face. “I like you already.”

Castiel smiled happily, nodding at him.

“I like you too.” He replied, laughing when he saw Dean still looking surprised as he opened his water.

“I don’t think I’ve seen you drink water in years, Dean.” Sam commented, smirking as he lifted the bottle to his lips.

“Shut it, Sam.” he grumbled, taking a drink and shuddering before swallowing.

Castiel watched his reaction with raised eyebrows.

“Did it burn you?” he questioned, keeping a smile off of his face.

“No.” Dean said, shaking his head. “It just doesn’t taste… like anything.”

“It won’t give you a headache though.” Castiel countered, smiling at him as he ate the chips.

Sam shot him another smile before he turned the television on.

“Hey there’s a documentary on about the twenty-four hours leading up to Kennedy’s assassination on the history channel.” He said, his eyes lighting up when he saw it.

“Yeah I don’t think so.” Dean said, rolling his eyes.

He glared at Dean and he shrugged.

“What? I really think you’re the only nerd in here that cares about that kind of stuff.” He said defensively.

Sam’s eyes went to Castiel who froze and stared between them.

“I’ve always been fascinated with history.” He said. “Kennedy’s assassination is a very interesting subject.”

Sam shot his brother a triumphant look.

“Majority rules.” He said proudly before switching it to the history channel.

Dean squinted at Cas who gave him an apologetic look.

“I will make it up to you.” he murmured in a low voice.

“I’m counting on a lot of kissing.” Dean fired back, sighing heavily as he settled back into the couch.

Castiel smiled and leaned over, kissing his cheek lightly.

“Gladly.”

\----------

“I’m glad you and Sam got along.” Dean said, squeezing his hand as they drove towards the garage.

“As am I. Your brother is very kind and welcoming.” Castiel replied, smiling over at him before looking out with interest.

He’d never seen where Dean worked so he was looking forward to going there. They climbed out and walked in. Castiel smiled as everyone greeted Dean, thumping his back and teasing him. It seemed like he was in a warm environment there. They were greeted by Dean’s boss as soon as they walked up to the office door.

“Bobby you remember Cas.” Dean said, gesturing to him.

“Yeah I do. You need a new car, kid.” He said, gesturing to his car that was sitting just outside of the garage. “We managed to fix it but there’s just some things you can’t fix with an old clunker.”

“Yes sir.” Castiel nodded, smiling at him.

“We’re working on getting him one.” Dean said, grinning.

They walked into his office and Castiel gave him money to pay for it but Bobby waved it off with a shake of his head.

“Any friend of Dean’s is a friend here. You don’t pay for a simple job.” He refused.

Castiel looked between them with surprise that was mirrored on Dean’s face.

“Thank you, Mr. Singer.” He said appreciatively, taking the keys from him.

He turned to face Dean, looking up at him.

“I’ll see you, Dean.” He said, wanting nothing more than to kiss him goodbye but knowing that he couldn’t there.

“Yeah, Cas. See you later.” Dean nodded at him, smiling as he watched him walk out.

Castiel bit his lip, walking towards his car. When he felt a piercing gaze on him, he stopped and turned his head only to catch sight of who was watching him. John Winchester was standing beside a truck on blocks staring straight at him. His gaze wasn’t critical or furious as it had been when he met him before. It was almost curious. Castiel stared back at him for a moment before turning away once again, wondering what was going on as he walked to his car and climbed in. Dean and Bobby watched the silent interaction from the office.

“How long have you known?” Dean questioned in a low voice.

“I’ve known you since birth, you idjit. You really don’t think I knew before you did? That kid had to be somethin’ special for you to go to a damn theater for him.” Bobby replied simply, swatting the back of his head lightly before turning away.

Dean smiled slightly, ducking his head before turning to look at the mechanic.

“He’s a good person, Bobby.” He said, sitting in a chair across from him.

“I have no doubt. You’re not stupid enough to let anyone less into your life after what happened with that Braeden girl.” he replied, sorting through papers.

“You aren’t going to tell me I’m being stupid or to be careful?”

Bobby sighed and looked up at him, shaking his head.

“I think you’re going to get enough of that the more people find out. I’m not gonna condemn you for what you feel. You’ll need people by your side.” He said.

\----------

Castiel walked into the house hesitantly only to find that his family was still gathered in the living room watching the television. He sighed and turned to walk up the steps but was stopped when he saw his mother step out into the entryway from the kitchen.

“How do you feel about ice cream?” Rebecca asked, holding up two spoons.

He glanced back before nodding, following her into the kitchen. They sat at the island with a gallon of chocolate ice cream between them.  
“My car broke down again. Dean had it taken to the shop where he works after school and they fixed it for free.” He said, scooping the ice cream out of the container and putting it into his mouth.

“That’s nice of him.” his mother answered.

When she noticed the conflicted look in his eyes, she sighed and reached out to touch his shoulder.

“What’s going on, Castiel? I thought you were happy.”

He looked up at her and shrugged.

“I am. I just wish… I don’t know.” Cas sighed heavily. “I wish that we didn’t have to keep this so secret.”

Rebecca smiled sadly, reaching up to stroke his cheek.

“He seemed very happy at his workplace. His boss is very kind to him and he seems to enjoy the people he works with. If he could just work there full time instead of at the school, none of this would be a big deal. We wouldn’t have to sneak around. I’m eighteen so there’s nothing illegal about anything we’re doing. If he was just anything except for my teacher, this wouldn’t be wrong.”

She shook her head, picking up her spoon to take another bite.

“It’s not that there’s anything wrong with it, Castiel. It took me a lot of thinking to realize it. As a parent, I’m automatically going to feel protective over you and that is why I reacted the way that I did. As long as I feel that there is nothing harming you, I am not going to tell you that this relationship is a bad idea. Your father, after a lot of thinking, would feel the same way. But not everyone can see that. They’ll only see that a teacher is dating a student and that is a relationship that many parents and other teachers would be very uncomfortable with.”

Castiel frowned at her, his brow furrowing.

“It wouldn’t be any of their business.” He argued.

“They wouldn’t see it that way.” Rebecca said sadly.

He remained quiet for a moment, taking another few spoonfuls of ice cream.

“Perhaps if I talk to Dean, if I tell him that this is what I am thinking about… perhaps he’ll agree to…” he trailed off, thinking about his idea.

“To what, Castiel? To quit his job? You can’t really ask him to do that. Especially since he may need it for reasons that you do not know yet.”

He took a deep breath.

“Just think about it. My advice is that you do not go to him telling him to quit his job that he seems to enjoy just because you don’t want to deal with the consequences of your choices. You chose to pursue this relationship, Castiel. You knew that keeping it quiet for now would be a part of it. If you can’t handle that, you shouldn’t have started it at all.” Rebecca advised, standing up.

She leaned forward and kissed his forehead before walking out of the kitchen. Castiel stared after her for a moment before letting out a soft sigh and turning to dig into the ice cream once more.

\----------

**One Week Before Christmas**

“I want to do it!”

“Oh shut up Gabriel, you can’t even reach it.”

“Perhaps we should draw straws.”

“Oh always the mediator Cassie.”

“Shut up Lucifer, you got to do it last year.”

“Children!”

They all stopped, gathered around the tree looking at their parents with wide eyes. Rebecca and Chuck looked like they were crossed between amusement and frustration.

“We will decide who puts the star on top of the tree.” Chuck said, picking up the golden tree topper and handing it to his wife. “Who put it up last year?”

“Lucifer.” Michael, Anna, Gabriel, and Castiel chorused.

The remaining sibling shot them a glare, stepping away from the tree.

“And the year before?”

None of them spoke because none of them knew. They exchanged looks and Chuck sighed, shaking his head.

“Who was the twenty-third president, his vice-president, and secretary of state?” he questioned.

The others remained quiet, staring at him with gaping mouths.

“Benjamin Harrison was the president and Levi Morton was his vice-president. Two men were in the role of secretary of state, James Blaine and John Foster.” Castiel answered easily, reciting the facts as if they were common knowledge.

The rest of his family was silently staring at him until it broke.

“This is why your questions are ridiculous! He is always going to know the answers!” Anna exclaimed.

Castiel smiled slightly, shrugging as his mother and father hid their laughter behind their hands.

“Well if you actually paid attention in history class, you’d know.” Rebecca said, smacking his arm.

“Let me ask him questions since I’m already out.” Lucifer offered, staring at Castiel with a glint of mischief in his eye.

Chuck looked at him for a moment before nodding.

“All right.”

Castiel’s eyes widened slightly and he braced himself for a hard question.

“Who is the lead singer of AC/DC?”

He thought for a moment before a slow smile bloomed across his face.

_“You hear this?” Dean called, grinning as he did air guitar movements and spun around the garage to the loud music._

_“How could I not?” Castiel replied, sitting on the Impala’s hood and laughing at him._

_“AC/DC.” The mechanic informed him, rocking his head and singing the lyrics in a loud voice._

_Cas simply watched as Dean danced around, the older male winking at him when their eyes met._

_“This is Hells Bells, one of their greatest songs. The lead singer is Brian Johnson but it was started by the Young brothers, Angus and Malcolm.”_

_He nodded in understanding, letting out a chuckle as Dean grinned proudly and reached out to switch the stereo to the next song._

“Brian Johnson.” Castiel answered, looking proud of himself where everyone looked shocked.

“How did you…” Gabriel trailed off, his eyes wide.

He shrugged casually, smiling.

“I guess it’s just one of those things you know.”

“No no… it’s one of those things we know.” Lucifer said, gesturing to everyone but him. “Not you.”

Castiel frowned at him.

“Who’s the drummer in Led Zeppelin?” Michael asked.

Dean’s voice echoed in his head and he smiled wider.

“John Bonham.”

They all gaped at him and he reached out for the star. His mother gave it to him willingly.

“I’ll just put this up there.” Castiel said, smirking as he turned back towards the tree and stretched up to place it on top.

“When did our little brother become awesome?” Gabriel whispered.

A smack sounded and the others laughed as Rebecca withdrew her hand and he rubbed his head with a grimace.

\----------

“So we’ve bought gifts for my mom, your parents, your siblings, Bobby, and our friends.” Jo listed off as they walked through the mall carrying the bags from the several stores they visited.

He nodded along, shifting the bags around his arms.

“You know who we have left.”

Dread filled Castiel’s chest and he turned his head to face her.

“I don’t know what to get.” He said honestly.

She smiled slightly, reaching out to grasp his arm.

“I have just the place.”

Jo dragged him across the mall and they ended up in the bookstore in the self-help section.

“I don’t think Dean would read these books.” Castiel said, confused.

“The book isn’t for him, it’s for you.” she said, searching through a specific section until she pulled out the one she was looking for. “You’re going to make him his present.”

She handed him the book and a slow smile formed on his face.

\----------

“I don’t know how to get around in here, Sammy.” Dean sighed, glancing around the used bookstore. “I know that he likes to read but… I’m not good at picking out this stuff.”

“Calm down, Dean.” His brother urged him. “What does he like?”

“Doctor stuff? Science? Learning? Kissing? Blow jo…”

“That’s enough, Dean!” Sam snapped, grimacing with disgust at how he imagined he was going to finish that sentence.

Dean grinned, some of his anxiety melting away as he relished in his ability to bother his brother. They walked over to the science section of the bookstore and Sam began looking among the shelves as Dean glanced around. When his eyes fell on something he reached out towards it curiously.

“Hey Sammy, isn’t _Grey’s Anatomy_ a famous medicine book?” he questioned.

“Yeah.” Sam answered, straightening up and looking at the book he was holding. “Holy shit, Dean. That’s a first edition.”

He took it from his hands and stared at it with wide eyes.

“What does that mean? It was one of the first sold or what?”

Sam nodded.

“Yeah it was one of the first books printed before there were ever any revisions or anything. It’s… it’s awesome.”

Dean perked up at the word.

“Awesome enough to give to Cas?” he asked.

Sam looked up at him and grinned, nodding as he thrusted it back into his hands.

“He’ll love it.”

\----------

**Christmas Eve**

“Are you and Dean doing anything for Christmas?” Rebecca asked.

They were making the family dinner together, leaving the rest of their family to organize the living room for the next day’s early morning gift opening.

“I thought that I would leave here around noon. I’m going to go set up his Christmas present at his apartment while he’s at Jo’s house celebrating with them. We planned to meet around four at his apartment but I’ll just be in there to surprise him.” Castiel answered in a quiet voice.

Rebecca smiled up at him.

“What are you going to do?”

Castiel smiled and reached towards his bag, pulling the book out to show to her.

“Jo has all of the supplies and she’s going to meet me there with Sam to give them to me.” he said.

His mother nodded, reaching out to put her hand on his shoulder.

“I am certain that he will love his surprise.” She assured him.

He grinned back at her, nodding as he put the book away once more.

\----------

**Christmas Day**

Castiel climbed out of his car, shuddering against the coldness in the air as he walked carefully across the ice in the parking lot. When he finally got to Dean’s door, he knocked on it. Jo stood in the door once it opened, hurrying him inside.

“Do you have the book?” she questioned.

He nodded, taking it out of his bag as he pulled his scarf off.

“Nice sweater.” Jo commented, grinning at him before dragging him into the kitchen.

“Anna got it for me. Is it not good?” Castiel questioned, tilting his head to the side.

Sam was waiting for them, unpacking the bags of supplies and placing them on the counter.

“You pull it off, I promise.” She replied, putting the book on the counter and opening it. “You sure you’ll be okay making all of this by yourself?”

Castiel nodded, staring around at the small kitchen.

“My mother gave me some advice so I think that I will be fine. Thank you both for helping me.” he said appreciatively, smiling at them.

“It’s no problem, Cas. Sam and I have to get to the thing at my house. Call me if you burn the apartment building down.” Jo said, leaning in to kiss his cheek.

“See you later, Castiel.” Sam said, waving to him as they walked out.

Pretty soon he was left alone and the apartment was uncomfortably silent. To make up for the lack of noise, he walked into the living and knelt in front of the stereo next to the television. After fiddling for several moments, he found Dean’s music and grinned, nodding as he stood and went back into the kitchen to create Dean’s present.

\----------

Several hours and a lot of kneading later, the apartment smelled heavenly. Castiel pulled his creations out of the oven, careful not to burn himself. He set them all on the cabinet that he’d cleaned himself while he was waiting for the presents to bake. Finally they were all laid out and he nodded triumphantly, turning off the oven and looking at the time. He had thirty minutes until Dean got home and that was enough time to set up the rest of his present. He hurried into the living room and quickly began setting up.

The small tree went on the coffee table, lit up with different colors of lights. In the doorway to the kitchen, he carefully hung a sprig of mistletoe with a smile. He pulled the other part of Dean’s present out of his bag, placing the wrapped box underneath the small tree and inspecting his work with a smile as he dimmed the lights and waited. When he heard the rumble of the Impala outside, his heart leapt and he positioned himself on the couch, staring at the door. Dean thumped his boots against the sidewalk as he approached the door, pulling out his keys to unlock it. When he walked in, his grimace at the cold immediately turned to shock at the change in his apartment. He caught sight of him sitting on the couch and closed the door without taking his eyes off of him.

“Cas?”

He stood, fumbling nervously with his hands.

“Hello, Dean. Merry Christmas.” Castiel said, smiling at him.

Dean grinned and pulled his jacket off, looking at the tree.

“You did all of this? When?” he asked, walking forward.

“Sam and Jo let me in earlier.”

He reached out, taking his hand and pulling him. Suddenly he stopped and sniffed the air.

“What is that?” Dean questioned.

Castiel grinned up at him, pulling him towards the kitchen.

“Your present.” He said happily, excited for him to see. “But first…”

They stopped in the doorway and he pointed up. Dean glanced at the mistletoe and grinned.

“You’re clever.” He said appreciatively before leaning down to press their lips together.

Castiel’s arms wound around his neck and he responded eagerly, kissing him deeply. Dean gripped his hips and pressed him into the doorframe. After several moments, they pulled away and looked at each other with sparkling eyes.

“I like mistletoe.” Dean murmured, bending down to place one more kiss on his lips.

“Your present.” Castiel reminded him, pulling away and sliding past him into the kitchen.

Dean stopped short when he saw the dishes lined up on the counter.

“Did you… did you make these?”

Castiel nodded eagerly.

“Four pies, different flavors. Cherry, apple, blueberry, and pecan.” He said proudly.

Dean looked as if he’d won the lottery, gazing at the light brown crusts.

“This is… amazing.” He said finally, turning to face him. “You’re amazing.”

Castiel allowed himself to be pulled in once more, grinning when their lips met again. Dean yanked him into him and turned, hoisting him up onto the clear counter space. Castiel’s fingers winded into his hair and his legs wrapped around his waist. When he pulled away to smile at him, Dean’s eyes fell to his sweater.

“I like it.” he said, tracing the patterns over his chest.

“Thank you.” Cas replied, stroking his cheek with one hand.

Dean glanced up at him and grinned, his eyes shining happily.

“I have apple cider and hot chocolate. We can drink them while eating all the pie you want and watching Star Wars.”

The mechanic shook his head, laughing lightly.

“You are so damn perfect.” He breathed, reaching up to put his hand on his cheek.

Castiel shrugged, grinning at him.

“I just know what you like.” he said, hopping off the counter and moving to make their apple cider.

Dean cut the pies into pieces, giving them each a piece of each flavor on a plate. They carried the food into the living room.

“Wait, your present.” He said, running back towards his room and coming out with a crudely wrapped present. “It doesn’t look that great but…”

Castiel took it from him, pulling Dean back down onto the couch.

“It looks great, Dean.” He assured him honestly, carefully opening it as the other male watched him closely.

When he had all of the paper off, Cas stared at the book with wide eyes.

“Dean this is…” he said, shaking his head as he looked up. “This is wonderful. I love it.”

Dean grinned proudly and caught him with a laugh as he threw himself into his arms and hugged him tightly. Castiel pulled away and reached towards the tree, handing him the second part of his present.

“Cas you didn’t have to…”

“I didn’t spend hardly any money on this one. I just bought part of it. The rest was given to me by Sam.” he said.

Dean squinted at him before opening the present. His eyes widened when he saw the picture in the frame. His fingers traced the smiling faces.

“This is… how did you do this?” he questioned.

“Sam supplied me with the picture and Anna is particularly good with this kind of thing. She showed me how to make it larger that the wallet size once we scanned it in and printed it off on photo paper. I got the frame at a craft store.” He said.

Dean swallowed hard past the lump in his throat as he looked at the picture of him and his mother when he was young. The frame was a simple black frame but he loved it.

“She would have liked you.” he said quietly, looking up at him. “No, she would have loved you.”

Castiel smiled at him, leaning into kiss him lightly on the lips, wiping away the tear that fell from his eye.

“I’m sure that I would have loved her. And I’m certain she would have been proud of you.”

Dean smiled and nodded, looking down at his mother before he set the frame up on the coffee table.

“Let’s watch that movie, huh?” he questioned, standing up to put it in.

Minutes later, they were curled up on the couch eating pie and drinking cider as they watched the movie, comfortable in each other’s arms and presence as the snow fell outside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to Castiel's sweater:
> 
> http://www.forever21.com/Product/Product.aspx?BR=21men&Category=m_sweaters&ProductID=2000091939&VariantID=


	21. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Cas celebrate New Year’s with Dean’s family and Cas discovers that he’s missing something. When he brings it up, the results are not pleasant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All right, readers. I gave you an entire chapter of fluff and cute but now we’ve got to get back to business. As much as I hate to give you angsty feelings (who am I kidding, I love it) we’re going to have to get into the big conflict of the story and that is going to mean pain. So get your chocolate and your alcohol or whatever coping mechanism you use because I am about to be your least favorite person ever. But not before you get one more little (BIG) treat courtesy of New Year’s Eve. Consider it my advanced apology for whatever may come.
> 
> If you want to hear my mindset while writing, I suggest listening to ‘Waiting Game’ by Banks. It is an amazingly beautiful song that I will be listening to a lot from now on when writing this part of the story.

“Caaaaaaassssstieeee!”

He rolled his eyes as he walked through the house trailed by his older brother, trotting towards the stairs with an armful of his clothing.

“For the last time, Gabriel, I have plans.” Castiel fired over his shoulder as he ascended towards his room.

“But it’s New Year’s! Shouldn’t you be with your family?” Gabriel implored, not giving up.

“I’m with my family 90% of the time. This one night, I have plans.” He said simply, pushing his door open and walking in.

“With who?” his brother questioned, following him in without a care in the world for his privacy.

Castiel rolled his eyes as he began folding his clothes.

“Friends. Mother already knows and she has no problem with it. You can have your family holiday with everyone else but just for tonight, I am going to enjoy myself with others.” He said.

Gabriel stared at him for a moment, squinting slightly.

“Fine. You’ll miss me and my special New Year’s concoction.” He said, turning to breeze out of the room.

“I don’t think I’ll ever miss that.” Castiel muttered under his breath, smiling slightly as his heart leapt.

He was looking forward to that night, thrilled at exactly whom he was spending it with.

\----------

Several hours later, he braved the cold chill outside as he ran up to the door, careful to avoid the spots of ice in the parking lot. Castiel’s hand came down on the door several times and it opened soon after, washing warmth over him. In the doorway stood a tall blonde girl. His eyes widened when he saw her, unsure of how to react to her presence.

“You must be Castiel!” she said, gesturing for him to come in.

“Y-yes I am.” He nodded, stepping around her and watching as she closed the door.

“I’m Jess.” She said, holding out her hand.

His entire body relaxed as he realized who she was.

“It’s nice to meet you.” he said, shaking her hand as Sam walked into the room.

“Hey Castiel.” The younger Winchester brother said, patting his shoulder before leaning down to kiss his girlfriend on the cheek. “Dean’s in the bathroom. There’s food in the kitchen and we have the New Year’s show on.”

“Dean wanted to watch Star Trek to honor the new year but we insisted on the Times Square party.” Jess said, pulling Castiel into the kitchen where a bunch of food was waiting.

“Wow, this is… it’s amazing.” He commented, glancing over the variety that was laid out.

“Thank you.” Jess said, beaming at him.

He heard voices out in the living room and knew that Dean had come out.

“Sam told me everything about you two. Dean knows but I don’t think that you did, judging by your look when I opened the door.” Jess murmured in a low voice.

Castiel looked up at her with wide eyes.

“I just want to let you know that you aren’t alone. Sam will always support Dean and by extension, you. I’m the same, so you always have us.”

He couldn’t help the smile that broke out on his face.

“Besides…” Jess said, her voice raising. “Anyone who can deal with Dean on a daily basis is a saint in my book.”

“What’s this I hear about dealing with me?”

Jess laughed as Dean walked into the room and grinned at Cas, walking straight towards him. Before he knew it, he was gathered in the other man’s arms and a sloppy kiss was laid on his lips. A blush formed on his cheeks as he clutched Dean’s shirt.

“Save it for midnight!” Sam protested, throwing a dishtowel at them.

“Shut him up for me, would you Jess?” Dean said, glancing over at her.

“Not a chance in the world of that happening, Dean. He lives to talk.” She said, wrapping her arms around Sam as she laid her head on his shoulder.

Castiel simply smiled up at Dean, warmth filling his chest.

“Hey Cas.” The other male said, his eyes sparkling.

“Hello Dean.” he replied.

They turned to the food in sync, reaching out to get plates. A knock sounded on the door and Sam moved to get it, complaining the whole way that it was Dean’s apartment and that he should have to get it.

\----------

Laughter filled the room, drowning out the television.

“I found the boys hiding underneath the car with their hands covered in peanut butter.” Bobby said, his face flushed as he smiled and continued the story.

“And so the story of how we covered an entire staircase with peanut butter has been told.” Dean nodded, lifting a bottle of beer to his lips.

“That is… impressive.” Castiel nodded.

“It was… until we had to clean it up.” Sam said, grimacing at the reminder.

They were sprawled out over the living room. Sam and Jess were curled on one side of the couch, Bobby on the other. Ellen was in the chair with Jo sitting at her feet. Cas and Dean were sitting in front of the couch, Dean leaning back against it and Castiel between his legs leaning back into his chest. No one so much as batted an eyelash at their intimate position, none of them surprised by it. Dean looked pleased by it and Castiel was as well, happy that they could be in front of Dean’s family so openly, their hands entwined and Dean’s lips occasionally pressing to the crown of his head. He wouldn’t have given this up for anything, except for one thing.

He only wished that his family could be in the room as well, all of his siblings and his parents laughing with them as they shared embarrassing stories about everyone. He still refused to let it ruin his night, laughing just as enthusiastically as everyone else. When the countdown reached a few minutes until midnight, Dean squeezed his hand and Castiel looked over his shoulder at him.

“I’ve never kissed anyone… on New Year’s.” The teenager admitted, his cheeks coloring slightly.

Dean grinned, reaching up to cup his face.

“I’m glad to be your first, Cas.” He said quietly.

They heard the chanting in their ears but they ignored it, staring deep into each other’s eyes. As it reached only seconds left, their faces moved closer. Then there was chaos, cheers and horns and such going off on the TV. Dean’s lips covered his, caressing his at first before Castiel deepened the kiss. He pushed forward and nibbled on the mechanic’s lower lip. The kiss lingered for several moments until they pulled away, looking into each other’s eyes.

“Happy New Year, Cas.” Dean murmured.

“Happy New Year.” Castiel whispered in reply, smiling.

“All right, enough with the kisses.” Ellen said, walking into the room with a bottle of champagne in her hand.

Jo followed her in holding plastic flutes for all of them.

“We’re toasting the new year.”

Bobby poured out the champagne at Ellen’s urging and it was passed out to everyone.

“To the new year…” Ellen said, raising her glass. “And all that it may bring.”

“To the new year!” everyone repeated, holding their glasses up before sipping at the bubbly liquid.

Castiel found that he didn’t hate it, licking his lips as the sweet taste lingered on his tongue. He took another drink and another.

“Well someone likes it.” Dean said, grinning at him.

Cas turned to him and smiled, blushing as he shrugged.

“Well that’s my cue. This old man needs to get home.” Bobby said, grunting as he stood.  
“Seconded, Jo?” Ellen said as she picked her purse up off the ground.

“Right behind you.” the blonde teenager said, winking at Dean and Cas before walking out behind them.

The remaining four shouted their goodbyes at them. When they were left alone, Jess stood and started to clear the coffee table.

“You really don’t have to do that.” Dean protested. “I can do it tomorrow.”

She smiled at him.

“I don’t mind.”

Dean nodded back, smiling appreciatively. Sam distracted him with a conversation about when him and Jess were heading back to Stanford, neither noticing when Castiel finished off his champagne flute and reached for the remains of Jo’s drink. When he’d drank three full glasses of it, Dean noticed that he was smiling happily at the warm feeling in his chest.

“Okay, that’s enough for you.” he said, moving the bottle out of his reach.

Castiel frowned up at him, allowing himself to be pulled up.

“I guess that’s our sign to leave.” Sam said, smiling at them as Jess walked back into the room.

Dean nodded at them.

“I’ll see you two later, okay?” he said.

Sam and Jess waved over their shoulders as they walked towards the door. Dean pulled Castiel back to the bedroom, grateful that he was only slightly off balance and that the small amount of champagne he consumed hadn’t been much more.

“Your family is wonderful.” Castiel sighed as he sat on the bed, looking up at Dean.

Dean grinned down at him, his hand stroking over his cheek.

“I’ll be back, okay? I’m just gonna lock up and turn off lights.”

Cas nodded, watching as he left. Dean did as he said, locking the front door and drawing the blinds closed before walking through and switching all the lights off. When he made his way back to his room, he stopped short in the doorway. Castiel was standing now, pulling his shirt over his head. His back was to Dean, the smooth expanse of skin tempting enough to look at but impossible not to want to touch.

Dean moved closer, sliding his hands over his hips as his lips descended on his shoulder. Castiel sighed and leaned his head back. His lips went to his neck, ghosting over the spot behind his ear before kissing and nipping a path to his throat. Castiel’s hand lifted, sliding into Dean’s hair and stroking the strands gently. His eyes slid closed as his breaths came out in sharp puffs. One of Dean’s hands moved to press just over his stomach, his thumb tracing circles into his soft skin.

“Dean.” Castiel breathed, his voice full of need.

He turned him around and they staggered towards the bed as their lips met. Dean carefully pulled him down, both falling onto their sides. Castiel quickly pushed him back, throwing a leg over his thighs to straddle his hips. His hands were on either side of his face as he nibbled on his lower lip. Dean’s hands slid down his back to play with the waistband of his jeans. Cas sat up quickly, his hands gripping the hem of his t-shirt before yanking it over his head. Dean sat up once it was gone, his hands sliding into Castiel’s hair as he kissed and nibbled on his jaw and throat. Their hips rocked together as their lust rose.

Cas suddenly slid from his lap, unbuttoning and unzipping his jeans with shaking hands. Dean fell back onto the bed and lifted his hips helpfully, gasping when his pants and boxers were pulled off at once. Before he could say a word, Castiel’s hand wrapped around his length. The teenager hummed as he bent down and licked around the head. Dean groaned his name as he took more of him in his mouth, sliding down very slowly and using his hand to make up for what he couldn’t take in. His eyes flickered up to Dean’s and kept contact as he bobbed up and down slowly at first, becoming more enthusiastic. Dean’s hands slid into his hair, not forcing him down but simply stroking the locks. Suddenly Castiel sat up and Dean cursed at the loss of warmth.

“I want you.” he said, his thump sweeping lightly over the pre-come and saliva covered tip.

Dean stared up at him with lust-darkened eyes.

“You have me, Cas.” He murmured, reaching up to stroke a hand over his cheek.

“No, Dean.” He said, shaking his head and unbuttoning his pants.

The mechanic watched with wide eyes as he slid them down over his hips, shimmying them off before hooking his fingers in his boxers.

“I _want_ you.” Castiel stressed the middle word, pulling them off and freeing his cock from the thin material.

Dean didn’t respond for a moment, heat rushing through him at the sight of him naked. When Castiel straddled him once again and slid their swollen lengths together, he groaned and his head fell back, snapping him out of his trance.

“Cas…” he said, reaching up to take his hand. “We shouldn’t… I mean… are you… what if… are you sure?”

Castiel smiled at his stammering and pulled his hand up to his cheek as he bucked towards him, sending shocks of pleasure through both of their bodies.

“Yes.” He whispered, pressing a kiss into the palm of the other man’s hand.

Dean pushed up, dragging his face in for a kiss as his hand shot out. He fumbled with the bedside table, opening the drawer and rifling through it blindly. He finally pulled out the items that he wanted, dropping them on the bed. Their lips never parted, Dean nibbling at his lip and causing him to gasp. Taking the chance, he delved into Castiel’s mouth as he slowly turned them over. Castiel laid back on the bed, his legs wrapping around his waist as his fingers dug into his back. He nipped at Dean’s exposed throat as he glanced over at the light switch.

“Oh.” He groaned, his hands fisting in the sheets as he held himself up. “Cas, you’re driving me fucking crazy.”

“That’s the point.” Castiel whispered huskily.

Dean grinned at him before carefully unwinding them. Castiel sat up on his elbows and watched as he walked over to the light switch and turned it off. Several moments later, a lamp switched on and threw the room into dimmer light.

“That’s better.” He said proudly.

Castiel smiled up at him.

“Setting the mood?”

Dean shrugged and crawled back up to him, hovering over him and letting his breath wash over his lips.

“Where were we?” he questioned.

Castiel reached up and pulled him down, connecting their lips and hitching his legs around Dean’s bare hips. He picked up the small bottle, opening it with a small pop. The teenager broke away from the kiss and his eyes lit up excitedly. He clambered up, flipping over and balancing on his hands and knees. Dean let out a groan at the position, letting his eyes roam over his backside before reaching out to run his hand over it. Castiel pushed back against him, dropping onto his elbows and pressing his face down into the bed. Dean squeezed out some of the lubricant onto his hand and coated several fingers with it. When he let one finger circle around the tight hole, Castiel buried his face in the blanket to muffle his noises.

“I want to hear you, Cas.” Dean murmured, his other hand stroking up his spine encouragingly.

The dark-haired male turned his head to the side and bit his lip, sighing as he stroked the hole very gently. The muscles relaxed and Cas opened up for him. Dean pushed his finger in a little bit, making him shudder and moan his approval. Very slowly, he pushed the finger all the way in up to the knuckle and Dean couldn’t help but groa at the tight heat that clenched around his digit. Castiel wriggled, pleading with his body for him to move, to stroke him and bring him pleasure.

Dean began moving the finger in and out, biting his lip hard at the noises that were coming out of Castiel’s mouth. When the younger man began pleading for more, he carefully slid a second finger in with the first, stretching his hole wider and causing his muscles to tense up for a moment before relaxing and allowing him to continue. Dean simply slid the fingers in and out a few times before he began separating them, scissoring Castiel gently to stretch him out as much as he could. The teenager looked back at him with dark blue eyes, a wild look in him.

“Dean please… I need you… please…” Cas pleaded, arching towards his fingers.

He yelped when Dean crooked his fingers and brushed his prostate and he trembled, breathing heavily.

“You like this?” the mechanic said, adding a third finger much to Cas’ approval.

“Yes.” He declared, bucking against him.

Dean took a deep breath, relished in the feel of his tight heat accepting his fingers. After several more moments, Dean slid his fingers out. The other male immediately flipped over as he slid backwards off the bed and stood. Dean gasped when Castiel gripped his hips, leaning forward to lick his cock once more as his blue eyes looked up to stare deep into his own green eyes. As he took him into his mouth, Dean groaned and his hand threaded through Castiel’s hair, stroking it encouragingly. The younger man bobbed a few times, his tongue swiping over the vein on the underside and his cheeks hollowing out. When he withdrew with a pop, he pulled Dean back with him, spreading his legs to let the older man fall between them.

“Now, Dean.” He murmured, his hand sliding into his hair and tugging on it lightly. “Please.”

He squeezed his eyes shut and reached down, weaving his hand through Castiel’s. He lifted it up, staring deep into his eyes with intensity. His other hand reached down and hitched his leg up over his hip before he slid down and carefully ensured that Castiel was stretched out enough.

“Are you absolutely sure?” Dean questioned, not wanting to do anything that Cas wasn’t sure of.

The teenager nodded quickly, gripping his shoulders.

“I want it to be with you. I want you.” he murmured. “Please let us do this.”

Dean swallowed hard and nudged at his hole.

“Tell me if it hurts at all if you want it to stop. Don’t hold back because you don’t want to say it.”

Castiel nodded quickly, pleading in his gaze. Dean held his breath and pushed in, leaning down and capturing his lips. The teenager gasped at the feeling of being filled, his hands clutching at the blankets. At first it burned and he fought back a hiss at the feeling. His fingers flew up and dug into Dean’s skin as he took sharp breaths. The older male moved slowly, pushing in at a snail’s pace as he stared down at him for any trace of discomfort. His walls clenched down on Dean’s cock and wrenched a groan out of him. Finally he was fully seated within him, his length fully enveloped by his tight heat. Castiel had his head thrown back and his eyes closed tightly.

“You okay?” Dean asked, practically breathless as he looked down at him.

He took several slow breaths, not answering for a full minute. When they finally opened, Dean saw that he looked crossed between lust and being overwhelmed, his eyes glazed over.

“Move Dean… please…” Castiel whimpered, clutching at his back.

“Gimme a second, Cas.” He breathed, trying to keep himself from moving too fast or going too hard.

The younger man desperately pressed wet kisses to his shoulder and neck. Dean finally moved, pulling out slowly before pushing back in. He kept up the slow pace as gasps and kisses were exchanged, their bodies trembling and moving together. Their eyes stayed fixed on the others unless they were kissing, blue staring into green and passing all sorts of silent communication along that was easily returned. Their hushed voices filled the air, groans of pleasure and whispers of need shattering the silence.

As Dean began to move quicker, Castiel writhed underneath him. His hands scratched into his back before flying out to grip the blankets desperately. His teeth dug into his shoulder for a moment before Dean propelled himself backwards, pulling him with him. Cas rocked against him, Dean thrusting up to keep the friction going. Their lips melded, Dean’s hands pressing into Castiel’s lower back as his hands rested on his shoulder blades. When the dark-haired male pulled away, Dean reached between them and his hand wrapped around his erection that was between them.

Castiel’s eyes flew open, the green darkened with lust as Dean pounded into him over and over. They stared deeply into each others eyes as a litany of moans, cries, and licentious words mingled in the air around them. He suddenly pulled out and Castiel whimpered, bemoaning the loss. Dean pulled him over as he fell onto his back him onto his side, pulling Castiel over on top of him. The teenager positioned his cock at his entrance and slid down, burying his head in Dean’s hair as he did so. Dean’s head fell back onto the pillows, his hips driving upwards and hitting Castiel’s prostate with each thrust. The younger male howled and sobbed as white-hot pleasure sparked through him. Dean gripped his hips and guided him through his movements.

“Dean.” Castiel moaned, his hands planted on his chest as his hips circled and rocked. “It feels so… so good.”

His head was thrown back to reveal the marks on his throat from Dean’s lips and teeth.

“I’m-I’m close.” The younger male informed him, desperately chasing the pleasure that his body longed for.

Dean continued to pump his cock as he drove up into him. Castiel threw his head back, letting out a cross between a sob and a moan as white liquid streamed out onto Dean’s stomach. The older male continued to pump him through the orgasm, entranced by the complete look of ecstasy on his partner’s face. Castiel’s mouth was slightly open and his eyes were closed. His flushed skin looked beautiful in the dim light of the room. Once he finished, the older man flipped them over and thrusted in and out desperately, chasing his own finish.

When his warm liquid began filling Castiel, they stared into each other’s eyes with wonder. Their lips melded together as Dean moved slower and slower. Finally he pulled out when they were both too sensitive. Dean reached down and grasped his boxers, cleaning them both up before collapsing next to him. Castiel curled into his side and pressed his head against his chest, his breathing quick as he tried to calm down.

“That was… amazing.” He said, his voice full of wonder.

Dean smiled slightly and bent down, pressing a light kiss to his head.

“It was even better.” He said simply.

They laid there basking in each other’s arms as they replayed the experience in their heads. When Castiel looked up at Dean, he saw emotions overwhelming his face that was set in a grimace.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” he asked, sitting up and cupping his freckled cheeks.

“I just…” Dean sighed and shook his head. “I’m just so afraid.”

Castiel tilted his head to the side.

“Of what?”

He shrugged and looked down at him for a moment.

“Of doing something fucking stupid and losing you.” he admitted.

Castiel stared at him for a moment before shaking his head and leaning up to kiss him.

“Not going to happen.”

\----------

**Day Before School Restarts**

“There’s something different about you.” Jo said, watching as he read the book in his hands.

Castiel was sitting at his desk and she was sprawled across his bed.

“What do you mean?” he asked, not even looking up.

“I mean, ever since New Year’s, you’ve been unnaturally happy. You’re always smiling and you haven’t been talking about college applications. What happened?”

He shrugged and didn’t bother to glance up at her. When a gasp reached his ears, however, he did look up. Jo had her hands over her mouth.

“Did you… I mean, you had… the entire night… just you two… did you get it on during the night on New Year’s?”

He flushed and his eyes fell to his book again, not wanting to look at her.

“You did!” Jo screeched, throwing a pillow at him. “You have to tell me everything!”

Castiel sighed and glanced up at her.

“I don’t have to do anything. I will not confirm anything that may or may not have happened. All that I can say is that our intimacy was quite… amazing… that night.” He said with a wry grin.

Jo let out a laugh and launched off the bed, hugging him tightly.

“My little Cas, all grown up.” She sniffled, pretending to wipe away a happy tear.

He rolled his eyes and shoved her away. Suddenly Gabriel peeked in with a raised eyebrow.

“What did my brother do?” he questioned.

They both froze with wide eyes.

“Nothing.” Jo said simply, withdrawing from him and sitting back on the bed.

The older sibling squinted at them before shaking his head and walking off. Castiel let out a breath and looked at her warily.

“Sorry.” Jo whispered, looking guilty.

“It’s no fault of yours.” He sighed, putting his book away and staring down at his hands miserably.

“Hey, why are you unhappy? You’re not supposed to be unhappy when you’ve just… well, you know.” Jo questioned, sounding concerned.

“I’m not unhappy.” Castiel shook his head. “I just wish that… I wish that my family could all know. Dean’s does… well except for his father. But the people that matter to him, they were all in that room on New Year’s Eve. My family was all here not knowing what was going on, except for my mother. It just bothers me that I cannot tell them. It is not like me to lie to them, especially for this long about something this big.”

She looked sympathetic.

“I doubt they would blab about you two.” Jo assured him.

“No, that’s not the problem.” He said, shaking his head. “It’s that… the more people know, the more likely it is that we will be found out by all the wrong people. It’s simply a statistical thing.” He shrugged.

Jo reached out, squeezing his shoulder lightly.

“Maybe just bring it up with Dean?”

He looked over at her, wondering if it was really the best thing to talk about with him.

\----------

Castiel watched from the couch as Dean sorted out his clothing, preparing for the next day by doing all of his laundry at the urging of his dark-haired lover.

“I loved New Year’s.” he said bluntly, cursing himself as the mechanic looked up at him with surprise.

“I did too.” Dean said, grinning.

He sighed heavily and clutched at his knees.

“Seeing your entire family… knowing that they all support you and not having to hide in front of them… it was refreshing.” He claimed.

Dean nodded, placing his t-shirts in a pile.

“Yeah, it’s just great to have some people to share this with.” He agreed.

Castiel swallowed hard and took a deep breath.

“I only wish we could extend the amount of people that we share it with.” He said.

Dean’s surprised eyes met his and he backtracked quickly.

“I don’t mean random people. I mean… my family.” Cas admitted. “It would be nice if my family knew about it.”

The other man raised his eyebrows slowly.

“Cas you always keep telling me how much of a loudmouth Gabriel is, not to mention your other siblings. Are you really sure that you should tell them? Shouldn’t you be worried that they’ll let it slip?”

For some reason, Castiel felt a twinge of offense at the words.

“My family loves me.” he argued. “I do not believe that they would say or do anything that would put me in trouble or danger, if that’s what you’re implying.”

Dean looked at him with wide eyes, shaking his head.

“I don’t think that they would do that… on purpose. But you know sometimes things are said without anyone meaning anything. If that happens, everything will collapse around us. I’ll lose my job at the school and we wouldn’t be able to be seen out in public without being ostractized.” He replied.

Castiel set his lips in a firm line, more annoyance flashing through him.

“So then we’re always stuck in secret? Until when, Dean? Until I graduate? Until you decide to quit your job? Until you decide I’m worth claiming?” he questioned bitterly.

The older man looked surprised at his tone, responding with an equal tone of voice.

“What the hell is this even about, Cas? About the fact that your family doesn’t know or about the fact that you don’t like keeping this a secret from anyone?” Dean demanded, sounding defensive.

Castiel hesitated, staring into his eyes.

“I want a date, Dean. I want to be able to go to a restaurant or a movie theater. I want to hold your hand and kiss you on the cheek. I just… I want everything with you.” he admitted.

The mechanic looked sympathetic towards that, his annoyance disappearing momentarily.

“I know, Cas. Trust me, I want all the same thing.” He sighed.

“Then why don’t we pursue it? Dean, you have a job. If you quit the school, Bobby can probably give you more hours. You’ll be making money still and…”

He cut off when he saw the shocked and enraged look aimed at him.

“So what? I’m having to choose between teaching and you?” Dean asked, a hint of hostility in his tone.

Castiel shook his head, taking a deep breath.

“I just think that if you did, if you were no longer my teacher, people would not have nearly as much of a probem with this. If you had no professional relationship with me or other students or my parents, then we would not have to hide.” He tried to convince him.

“Only I have to drop doing something I love because you can’t keep a secret for another five months?” Dean demanded.

He stared at him, his mouth open slightly.

“Not to mention that I need the money I’m making from it. Do you really think that I’m working two jobs willingly? That I don’t need the money desperately? Jesus, Cas… I mean I knew you were naïve but do you really forget that not everyone has their daddy to throw money at him?”

Castiel stood abrupty, gaping at him angrily.

“I am not naïve!” he snapped back.

“Yeah, Cas… you are. Don’t worry, it’s cute most of the time. Right now it’s freaking annoying, though. I have obligations. I have to pay for shit. I have to work for a living. I can’t just bat my eyelashes and get what I want!” Dean said, standing as well.

The teenager stared at him in shock.

“Is that really what you think I do?” he questioned.

“I don’t think anything, Cas. It’s what you do. You don’t have to work for anything you get so I don’t expect for you to understand. You’re like a child who thinks the world works the way it does in your closed off little mind. It must be nice to live in that fantasy world but out here, we have to worry about grown up things.”

Castiel suddenly dropped the DVD case he was holding, turning his back on the movie they were about to start watching together. He grabbed his coat and shoved it on, buttoning it up. Dean watched him with wide eyes, everything that he just said setting in.

“Cas-Cas I…”

“Don’t bother, Dean.” He snapped, picking up his keys. “You shouldn’t have to explain yourself to a child.”

Dean watched with wide eyes as he opened the front door and slammed it shut behind him. Several moments of silence passed as he tried to figure out what the hell just happened and how to fix it.

“I told you I would fuck it up.” He whispered.


	22. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel is ready to apologize to Dean when something else sparks a fight. The teenager has no idea how to deal with what is happening and he turns to a very bad way of dealing with it, leading to much worse things for everyone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you thought the last chapter was painful and you hated me for it, you are really going to want to murder me for this one. This is the one that sets up the really big conflict and, as you guessed, Meg has a hand in it. Okay so Cas is a bit of a dick in this chapter. But I’m really trying to keep them in character.
> 
> Castiel has a habit of letting the people around him influence his behavior and when he steps away from Dean, it almost always goes badly for everyone. You are probably going to hate me at the end of this chapter but have hope because not everything is as it seems and there is a chunk of the story missing for a reason that will be revealed later.
> 
> Remember, listen to Waiting Game by Banks if you want to hear what I hear when I’m writing.

Castiel stared at her expectantly, waiting on her reaction once he finished speaking.

“Damn.” Jo sighed quietly, shaking her head.

“What?” he questioned, a dreadful feeling settling in the pit of his stomach.

She looked at him with sad eyes. They were in the cafeteria of the school sitting across from each other. Their other friends were at another table, understanding that they needed to speak to each other. They were speaking in low tones, ensuring that no one else heard them.

“I know what you want me to say but I can’t say it. He said some things that he shouldn’t have but when it comes down to it, you shouldn’t have asked him to quit his job. It wasn’t really within your rights to do so, even as his boyfriend or whatever you two are.” She said.

He frowned at her.

“What do you mean?” Castiel pushed.

“He does so much and he needs every bit of help he can get. He doesn’t work two jobs for his health. He needs them. Dean pays for Sam’s school. Well, he pays for most of it. Sam has a job but he still pays for almost everything.” She informed him.

Guilt suddenly weighed down on his shoulders as he realized all that the information revealed.

“The checks he sends Sam.” Cas realized, staring down at his hands. “The extra hours, the bonuses that Bobby always gives him.”

Jo nodded, looking at him with a sympathetic look.

“Not to mention the fact that he’s paying his father’s medical bills. The Veteran’s Association won’t pay for them since he was intoxicated at the time of the accident and John sure as hell doesn’t have the money to pay for it. Dean has so much on his shoulders. Castiel, fighting with you isn’t something else he needs. He really likes you and he needs you. Please, I know that your pride is telling you to stand up for yourself but I’m asking for you to put that aside. Dealing with you two fighting is going to make him so miserable.”

Castiel nodded slowly, biting on his lip.

“I’ll talk to him later.” He agreed.

She smiled and reached out, squeezing his hand lightly.

“You two are great together. You’ll figure this out, I know it.” she assured him.

He smiled back hesitantly, taking a deep breath as he tried to hold onto her words.

\----------

When his free period was almost over, Castiel remembered that his mother gave him a check to drop off with the principal. He’d been sitting alone in the library trying to figure out what to say to Dean, wanting to go to him with a good apology for his behavior. He walked into the office and he stopped short when he saw the mechanic’s back. He was leaning over Lisa’s desk and they were speaking in low tones. Neither of them noticed him walk in.

“When do you want to meet up?” Dean questioned.

Lisa remained quiet for a moment as she tried to figure something out.

“How about tonight? At the Roadhouse?” she suggested.

Castiel saw him nod and a cold feeling ran down his spine.

“Yeah, I’ll see you there, Lis.” Dean agreed.

“I can’t wait.” The dark-haired female breathed, beaming up at him with sparkling eyes.

Dean turned to walk out and stopped when he saw Castiel, several emotions flickering over his face.

“Hey, Cas.” He said, looking like he wanted to talk to him. “I…”

Castiel turned his head away, looking past him at Lisa who was glancing between them.

“I came to drop something off for Principal Crowley from my parents.” He said, interrupting Dean from saying anything more.

“Oh yeah.” Lisa nodded, gesturing to the slightly open door. “Go right in. He’s eating lunch now but I’m sure he’ll take it.”

Castiel managed a short nod at her.

“Thank you.” he said in a clipped tone, breezing past Dean.

When he opened the door, Crowley glanced up at him.

“Mr. Novak, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

He held up the envelope holding the check.

“From my parents.” He said, holding it out to him.

The principal smiled, taking it out of his hand.

“Thank you for bringing this to me. Tell your mother and father that we are very grateful here for their donation.” Crowley said, opening the envelope.

“I will pass on the message.” Castiel said, turning to walk out.

“Are you doing all right after that nasty business?” the principal questioned.

He glanced back at him and nodded once.

“I am fine.”

When he walked out, he noticed that Lisa was the only one there. Castiel didn’t spare her a second glance as he walked out of the office and into the hallway. When he saw Dean leaning against the wall obviously waiting, he clenched his teeth and moved to walk past him.

“Hey, can we talk?” the mechanic murmured in a low voice.

“For what reason?” Castiel replied, burying his remorse for their fight under his feelings of betrayal.

Dean looked taken aback.

“For a lot of reasons, Cas. We need to talk about what happened.” He whispered.

Castiel pushed the doors open, walking outside and taking a deep breath of the cool air before turning to him.

“I’m more interested in talking about what is going on between you and Lisa.” He said bluntly.

Dean looked at him with shock as he shook his head.

“No, that’s not it. I’m more interested in knowing why you never told me that there is something going on between you and Lisa.”

There was no response and Castiel nodded, hoisting his bag up further on his shoulder.

“Less interested in talking now, I see.” He acknowledged before turning to walk away again.

“Cas wait.” Dean said, catching his arm.

He ripped it out of his gasp before glancing up at the camera pointed right at them.

“Careful, Dean. I wouldn’t want anyone finding out about us.” He spat, stepping away from him. “Do not touch me.”

Dean looked shocked at his tone before his face covered in an emotionless mask.

“The garage. Now.” He demanded, pushing past him to walk towards his classroom.

Castiel stared after him for a moment.

“No.” he said defiantly.

The older male stopped and turned, looking torn between surprise and frustration.

“Cas we need to talk. Now would you stop acting like a…” he cut off, realizing what he was about to say.

“Like a what? Like a child? You talk as if I can help it when before you were so certain that it was just who I am.” He argued, knowing he sounded petulant.

“Dammit would you just come with me? Please?” Dean hissed.

Castiel didn’t answer, looking around to see that two teachers were walking out of the school and glancing over at them. He knew, despite his anger, that causing a scene wouldn’t be good for anyone. Finally he jerked his head once and followed Dean out to the garage, walking in and crossing his arms over his chest as he stood in the middle of the room.

“This thing with Lisa… it’s not what it looks like.” Dean began, turning on the lights.

“I don’t care what’s going on with Lisa, Dean.” Castiel snapped, glaring at the ground. “I care that, from what I heard, you’ve been planning whatever this is for a while now. And I care that you never told me about it. If I went within ten feet of any boy at my school who wasn’t my friend, you would throw a fit especially if I never told you about it. But you’re going to dinner with your ex-girlfriend and suddenly it’s me who’s acting like a child when I’m upset after finding out? That’s bullshit and you know it.”

He looked up at Dean to see that he was lost for words.

“I was going to come in here and apologize. I was going to come to admit that I was acting immature and that I was unfair to you. I still believe that all of that was true but in this instance, I do not believe that my feelings are unfounded. I have every right to be angry about this and you know it.”

“I was going to tell you, Cas.” Dean argued, looking desperate for him to understand. “I just… I didn’t know how to bring it up. We’re not just going to dinner the two of us. I’m going out with her and Ben. She’s worried about her kid and she thinks I’m a good influence on him. She just wants him to have a guy in his life who can help him out since his dad is MIA.”

Castiel stared at him for a few moments, absorbing the information.

“And what part of that information do you think would have been hard for me to process as soon as you knew about it? Did you think that I would be angry that you’re trying to be active in a young child’s life? Did you think that I would deny him a proper role model when I think that you are quite possibly the best person for the job? Why didn’t you think that it would be better to tell me about it long ago rather than have me find out in the worst way? The only possibility that would have been worse would be me walking in on you two actually having the dinner together!”

Dean ran his fingers through his hair with frustration.

“I’m sorry, Cas. I really didn’t… I didn’t think that this would affect you this much. You just don’t seem like the jealous type and I didn’t… I didn’t think.” He said.

Castiel took a deep breath.

“The amount of things you keep to yourself is astounding, Dean. I honestly do not know how you do not explode. I understand that your secrets are your own and I will never demand that you need to share them with me as long as they do not pertain to me. But when it directly affects our relationship, I would like to know. That being said, I cannot force you to do anything.” he said.

Dean stared at him with confusion.

“What are you saying, Cas?” he questioned.

“I-I’m not even sure.” He said, turning away to stare at the cars lined up. “Perhaps… this relationship is causing more of a toll on both of us than we ever thought was possible.”

Dean frowned, reaching out to touch his shoulder.

“So what? You’re just… done? It’s stressful and we’re hitting a rough patch so you just give up?”

Castiel turned to face him with his eyebrows knitted together.

“I never said such a thing. Do you really think so little of me?”

“I don’t really know what to think right now, Cas.” Dean fired back.

They stared at each other for a full minute. When the door slammed open and the other students began walking in, Castiel turned away from Dean and walked to his car, dropping his bag beside it as he’d forgotten to put it in his locker. He leaned against the front, rubbing his jaw with a conflicted look on his face. Jo walked in and knew by the look on his face that the conversation hadn’t gone well. He told her with his eyes that they would talk about it later. Dean was by his desk sorting through papers with a grimace on his face. Castiel stared at him for several moments before his eyeline was blocked. Meg grinned at him when he looked down at her warily. He hadn’t forgotten the glare she sent him several months ago so he was hesitant around her.

“There’s a party this weekend. It’s sort of a New Year’s party. Usually it would be on the night of but the host was out of town this year. So we’re just having it a little late. You’re invited, if you want to come.” She offered.

Castiel squinted at her for a moment as Jo stepped up.  
“We don’t go to those things.” the blonde scoffed.

Meg rolled her eyes and turned, glaring at her.

“Well it’s a good thing Clarence is invited and you aren’t.” she shot back, her eyes flashing.

Jo’s jaw dropped slightly and she looked at him.

“Castiel?” she questioned, raising her eyebrows.

He looked up at Dean to see him writing something on a piece of paper. A feeling of hurt stabbed into his chest as the final words the mechanic said to him.

“I’ll be there.” he decided suddenly, looking back down at Meg.

A grin bloomed across her face as she took out a piece of paper and handed it to him.

“I look forward to seeing you there, Cas.” Meg said, winking at him before sauntering off towards her own car.

Jo stepped towards him, looking shocked and a bit angry.

“You’re not only going to one of their bullshit parties, but you’re letting her call you Cas?”

He stared down at her, shrugging.

“What’s wrong?” Castiel questioned.

“Cas is Dean’s name for you.” Jo said.

Castiel gritted his teeth and turned his head away.

“Drop it, Jo.” He said simply, ducking into his car.

\----------

The rest of the week was not at all ideal. Castiel and Dean steadily ignored each other, both of them silently agreeing that they needed time. That made class almost unbearable as they were both in foul moods. Castiel’s friends noticed the change but it only took one heated glare for them to stop questioning him about it. Jo knew what was going on but every time she tried to bring it up, she was quickly shut down. When she pleaded with him not to go to the party, he would simply tell her that it was his choice, not hers. When Saturday night rolled around, he was getting ready in his room with Anna sitting on his bed.

“Your first high school party.” She said, grinning as she handed him the outfit she put together for him at his request. “I’m so proud of you.”

He gave her a hint of a smile before walking into the bathroom to change.

“Am I to expect alcohol, drugs, and fights?” he questioned as he pulled the soft shirt over his head.

“Pretty much.” his sister confirmed, holding his shoes out to him when he walked into the room once more.

Castiel sat next to her and pulled them on.

“You’ll have fun, I’m certain of it.” Anna said confidently, handing him the leather jacket of Lucifer’s. “Just, you know… try to be a part of it all.”

He nodded, sliding his arms into the jacket and pulling it up over his shoulders.

“I don’t think that I’ll have too much difficulty with that.” he assured her.

Anna nodded and watched as he walked to the door.

“Hey Castiel.” She stopped him, her hands fumbling together. “Are you ever going to tell me what happened? Why you’ve been so sad this week?”

He stared at her for a moment, frowning.

“You know I’m always here for you, right?”

Castiel forced a smile onto his face and nodded at her.

“I know.” He said before walking out.

\----------

When he arrived at the house, the party was already going on. As he walked past the mailbox, he saw that it had **Roche** written on it. His heart fell as he realized that it was Balthazar’s house. He wasn’t sure if that was going to end up being a very bad thing or not. As soon as he walked in, Castiel felt crowded among the bodies of his fellow students. Many of them looked shocked to see him there. When he turned to walk into a living room, he was immediately intercepted. Meg grinned impishly up at him as she handed him a red Solo cup.

“What do you think?” she yelled over the music, gesturing around.

“It is quite impressive.” Castiel replied, wincing at the smell of alcohol coming from the drink.

Meg watched him expectantly until he took a drink. It didn’t taste as bad as he thought. When he took another drink with a slightly more relaxed face, she looked triumphant.

“Come on.” she said, seizing his free hand. “You have to compliment the host.”

Before Castiel could refuse, she was dragging him through the teenagers and further into the house. Finally they were in a kitchen and they saw Balthazar pulling a beer out of the refrigerator.

“Hey.” Meg said, causing him to turn around.

Shock flickered over the blonde male’s face as he took in Castiel and his appearance. He flushed slightly under the scrutiny.

“Well this is unexpected.” Balthazar said, smiling slightly.

“It’s his first time, Balthy.” Meg said, grinning between them. “Make sure he has a good time.”

Castiel looked back as she slipped out of the room to leave them alone. He turned away before he could see the devious smirk on her face. Balthazar immediately reached out and took the strange punch from his hand.

“That will do nothing good for you, trust me.” he said, replacing it with a beer.

“Thank you.” Castiel said automatically, opening it with the bottle opener he was handed.

Balthazar nodded, opening his own beer.

“So… this isn’t exactly your scene.” He said before sipping at his beer.

Castiel fought back a grimace as he did the same.

“Perhaps I’m broadening my horizons.” He replied.

Balthazar grinned, reaching out to put a hand on his shoulder.

“So what happened to your secret lover? Pressure of the hidden relationship get to you?”

Castiel frowned at him.

“I would much rather not talk about it.” he said simply.

Balthazar nodded, looking at him with understanding.

“That can be arranged. Let’s distract you then.” He said, sliding an arm around his shoulders.

Castiel allowed himself to be pulled back out into the party, sticking by Balthazar as he took a long drink of the beer.

Several hours later, he was feeling very strange. His fingers were tingling and his body felt light. He was leaning heavily into the body beside him, not even certain of who it was until he smelled the expensive cologne. Balthazar was laughing and holding him up as he conversed with others. Castiel’s hand was clutching at his shirt as he looked around, squinting at the blurriness of the room.

“Hey.” Balthazar got his attention and he attempted to focus on him. “Come on.”

He held a hand and Castiel hesitated for one moment before sliding his own hand into it. The blonde teenager tugged him forward towards the stairs and they walked up, Balthazar helping him up as they dodged the multiple kissing couples. They finally made it up to the second floor and strode past the people littering the hallway. Balthazar pushed open a door and sent the people out who were in there before setting Castiel on the bed.

“Now what am I going to do with you?” he sighed, leaning over him.

Castiel stared up at him groggily, a lazy smile on his face as his hand twisted into Balthazar’s shirt and he tried to bring him in closer.

\----------

When the light switched on, he groaned and clutched his blankets up over his head. Footsteps sounded and they were suddenly pulled away.

“Well…” Rebecca sighed, grimacing at the strong smell of alcohol coming off of her youngest son. “I certainly hope you learned your lesson.”

She turned and walked into his bathroom, drawing a warm bath before returning to pull him up into a sitting position. He took the pills she handed him before looking at her with weary eyes.

“My head hurts.” He groaned, pressing a hand to it.

“Well that’s called a hangover, Castiel. It’s the least that you deserve, don’t you think?” she said, smiling slightly as she tugged him up.

“Are you not angry with me?” he asked, following her into the bathroom.

“I think that your current state is punishment enough.” his mother said, stepping away. “Now get cleaned up because we’re still having family day.”

He groaned loudly and dropped onto his knees, throwing up noisily into the toilet. Rebecca grimaced, reaching out to close the door.

“On second thought, take your time.”

\----------

As it turned out, Castiel’s reaction to alcohol was not a short-lived experience. When his mother had to call out for him sick the next day at school, he thought nothing of it. As soon as he showed up on Tuesday, however, it was clear that something significant happened in his absence. When he pulled up and climbed out of the car, all eyes were attracted to him. He wasn’t certain why until Jo charged up to him with a red face and blazing eyes. She immediately grasped his arm and dragged him into the school, corner him by his locker.

“I have been calling you nonstop! Why didn’t you answer your phone?” she demanded.

“I’ve been sick and my mother took it away so I could sleep. What’s going on?”

“What the fuck did you do?” Jo hissed, glaring up at him.

Castiel frowned at her.

“I’m not certain what you mean.” He said.

She glanced around and he saw their fellow students whispering and pointing at them.

“Jo?” he questioned.

“You’re a real bastard, you know.” She said, stepping away from him.

Castiel looked at her with a hurt expression as his heart dropped.

“What?” he said.

“If you were going to cheat on him, you could have at least not done it in front of the entire student body at the guy’s house.” Jo snapped icily.

Dread filled him as he realized exactly what she was talking about. Blurry memories of walking back down the stairs with Balthazar after an hour in his room filled his mind. The judgmental faces of everyone around him were reflected in his memory and he knew exactly what happened.

“Well? What do you have to say?” she demanded and he knew that she wanted him to deny it.

“Jo.” he sighed with resignation in his voice.

He was cut off by her slapping him across the face.

“Dean knows.” She said simply before turning to walk off.

Castiel’s hand pressed to his stinging cheek as he fell back against his locker and his heart pounded furiously. Across the hall, Meg smiled triumphantly as she slammed her locker closed and strutted towards her first class.

\----------

The day was already bad enough when it was time for him to head to shop class. He’d hidden in his car during his free period and lunch. When he was around the other students, they all stared openly and whispered about him. Most of what he’d heard had been people agreeing that they finally believed he was a Novak sibling after seeing him drunk at the party and disappearing off with Balthazar.  As he trudged across the school grounds alone with his arms crossed over his chest, his heart pounded heavily. He was the last one to arrive at class. When he opened the door, every set of eyes in the room fell on him. He scanned them until he saw the green ones that he was used to seeing open and warm. This time they were cold and distant, staring at him with no emotion whatsoever.

“Do you mind?” Dean asked, his voice the same as his eyes and it sent shivers down his spine. “I have a class to teach.”

Castiel felt his heart shattering as he turned his back on him. His head was spinning and he felt sick, much worse than he’d been during his hangover. He staggered backwards towards the door and felt his lungs tightening as if he couldn’t breathe. Before he knew it, he was pushing his way out of the classroom and sprinting back towards the school. He quickly grabbed his bag before slamming his way out of the school and bolting towards his car. His drive home took too long and when he finally pulled up, he stumbled inside and immediately headed for the stairs, not seeing Rebecca, Anna, and Gabriel walk into the entryway with confusion. When they saw the twisted and devastated look on his face, his siblings immediately made to follow him. Their mother stopped them.

“Anna, go.” she said quietly. “Gabriel stay here. Your father is in meetings but I need you to call his office and talk to him immediately. He needs to come home.”

He nodded, shooting a hesitant look at the stairs as Anna rushed after Castiel. When she got into his room, he was huddled on his bed with his knees to his chest and staring at the wall. A pillow was clutched to his chest and his breathing was erratic and heaving.

“Castiel?” she questioned, approaching him slowly and sitting beside him.

His eyes turned to her and she saw that his eyes were filled with tears.  
“I ruined everything.” He said in a devastated voice before he broke down.

The tears streamed down his face as he sobbed heavily. Anna reached out and wrapped her arms around him. Downstairs, Rebecca was on the phone with Michael to tell him that he and Lucifer should come as soon as they could. She knew that, though they hadn’t been there for him in a few months, Castiel needed all of them. She looked up to see Anna rushing down the stairs just as Gabriel walked back in and confirmed that their father was on his way home. Rebecca hung up with Michael as Anna looked at them with a pale face.

“I can’t get him to stop. He’s crying and I can’t calm him down.” she said, clutching her mother’s arm before dragging her up the stairs with Gabriel on their heels.

They rushed into the room and sure enough Castiel was still crying uncontrollably on his bed. Rebecca immediately wrapped him in her arms and began whispering soothing things to him.

“What’s going on, Cassie?” Gabriel asked, sitting beside Anna at the foot of the bed.

The brilliant blue eyes of the youngest Novak finally lifted and he looked at Anna and Gabriel before his eyes fell on Rebecca.

“I-I lost him. I lo-lost Dean.” He choked out, clenched down on her hand. “I just want Dean and I’ve lost him.”

He let out a wretched sob before collapsing into his mother’s arm. Anna and Gabriel exchanged wide-eyed looks as they finally understood what had been going on with their brother. As soon as Chuck got home, he came into the room. Without needing an explanation, he sat beside his son and wrapped his arms around him. Rebecca kissed his forehead before she began explaining everything. Castiel trembled in their arms as heartbreaking noises from him filled the air. His entire family watched with grimaces, their hearts breaking as they had no idea how to help him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just cried while writing this so we’re all in the same boat if you’re doing the same. REMEMBER: have hope because not everything is as it seems and there is a chunk of the story missing for a reason that will be revealed later. All of my stories have a happy ending and this one is not an exception. Now go back to hating me because I understand completely. I hate myself a little for this and I’ve known it was coming since I started writing the story. 
> 
> IF YOU REALLY NEED CONSOLATION AFTER THIS, YOU CAN READ THE SPOILER BELOW. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A REALLY UPSETTING CHAPTER AND YOU MAY NEED TO READ THIS:
> 
> In my mind, Castiel would never ever cheat on Dean (even drunkenly) and I would never write him as a cheater.


	23. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel is dealing with the aftermath of everything. His state is a cause for concern of his family and friends as he avoids them. After a month of remaining far away from Dean and his class, he gets a surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I never feel so evil as when over forty people tell me that I’m horrible for cliffhangers. It’s a powerful feeling. I know what villains feel like now. This part of the story will not last long in the actually telling of the story but in the timeline, it will be longer than it seems. I just don’t want to particularly dwell on it for too long because I know that gets boring.

**Day 1**

Hours later, the house was filled with tension from the first floor kitchen to the second floor bedroom. It was so thick that each occupant almost felt as though they were choking on it.

“You should have told me.” Chuck said, shaking his head as he walked back and forth across the tile.

“I know why you feel that way but I thought that I was doing the right thing.” His wife argued, watching him as he paced.

“That is not the issue. I deserved to know what was going on with my son. I should have been one of the first people to know that he was having a relationship with his teacher.” Chuck said, his voice calm as he took deep breaths.

He felt like exploding but true to his nature, he did not shout or rage against anyone. He simply told them how he felt. Rebecca appreciated it, knowing that hearing his father angry over what was going on would not help Castiel in this situation.

“I thought it best for him to come to you on his own and tell you. It would have been a very big step to tell you himself. I did not want to take that away from him.” she said.

Chuck stopped, facing her with a conflicted expression.

“Then why didn’t he ever tell me?” he asked quietly. “Why was he keeping it from me for so long?”

Rebecca sighed sadly and walked to him, enveloping him in her arms.

“He didn’t want to disappoint you, that’s all. Castiel wants so badly for you to be proud of him and he was terrified that you would dislike him for this.” she said.

He shook his head, pulling her in tightly.

“Then I must have failed as a father because I always wanted him to know that there is nothing he could do to make me love him less.”

Rebecca pulled away, putting her hand on his cheek.

“You did not fail. We raised five incredibly smart and wonderful children. But their behavior and thoughts are not always up to us. How they react to situations cannot be controlled by us. I promise you, Charles, he did not mean that you are a terrible father. He simply thought that he was a terrible son.” She said.

Chuck looked up at her with a devastated expression.

“Then I must let him know that is untrue.” He decided.

\----------

The two older siblings were still trying to work through their brother’s confession as they comforted him. When they finally became too curious to hold it in, they finally spoke.

“How did it start?” Gabriel asked.

Castiel looked up at them with red, puffy eyes. He swallowed hard before shaking his head and leaning back against his headboard.

“I do not wish to talk about it.” he said roughly.

Anna and Gabriel exchanged looks and both sighed heavily.

“It might make it better to talk about it.” Anna encouraged him.

Castiel shook his head, staring off into space.

“Nothing can make it better.”

There was silence for a few minutes before they heard footsteps. When they turned their heads towards the door, they watched as it opened and their brothers stepped in the room. Castiel’s eyes widened when he saw them and he sat up straight.

“What are you doing here?” he demanded.

“Hello to you too, little brother.” Lucifer said.

Castiel narrowed his eyes at them suspiciously.

“We were told that you are having a rough time.” Michael informed him.

“So we came to rough up the asshole who fucked with you.” Lucifer said with a grin.

His jaw clenched and his hands fisted in his blankets.

“That is highly unnecessary.” Castiel managed to say.

“Not from what we heard.” Michael said.

“From who?”

“Does it matter?” Lucifer asked.

He gritted his teeth before pushing himself off of the bed and storming out. When he got downstairs, he bursted into the kitchen without a care for interrupting his parents. His siblings were trailing close behind him.

“You should not have called them.” Castiel said accusingly, staring at his mother.

Rebecca turned and sighed when she saw their oldest two sons standing there.

“Castiel, you need family around you right now. You need support.” She said in a soft voice, reaching out towards him.

He jerked away, looking frustrated.

“I need peace. I need to be left alone. I need… I need…” he began breathing heavily. “I need for this to be over.”

Rebecca reached out, holding him in her arms as she hugged him close.

“You need us.” She whispered.

Castiel relaxed in her embrace and buried his face in her hair, fighting the tears from overwhelming him once more. Before he knew it, they were all in the living room and sitting on the couches. Suddenly he was talking, telling them all everything that had happened minus the dirty details of their alone time and the exact circumstances of their separation. He did not want his family knowing that full story. As he told it, he noticed his brothers getting more and more angry that this is what hurt their younger sibling. He knew he had to jump in before anything bad happened.

“You must promise to say nothing and do nothing.” Castiel said once he wrapped it up. “You cannot go after Dean or his family or go to the principal. He does not deserve it. I know that you cannot see much past your rage but I hope that you can at least see that.”

They all stared at him with surprise.

“Of course.” Rebecca said instantly. “We do not want to upset you, Castiel.”

Her eyes bored into each of their family and they all begrudgingly nodded, agreeing. Castiel sighed with relief, sitting back in the couch and staring at the ground.

“Do you want to stay home from school tomorrow? I know that it will not be easy going there.” Rebecca offered.

Castiel shook his head, looking up at her.

“I will have to go at some point. It will never be easy. I still have to do it.” he said, sounding less than pleased about it.

Rebecca nodded, reaching out to brush her fingers through his hair.

“I’m proud of you, Castiel.” She said, leaning in to kiss his forehead.

Anna slid into the couch next to him and embraced him as well, wrapping her arms around his chest and laying her cheek on his back. Michael and Lucifer both put hands on his knees and Gabriel stood behind him, his hand on his shoulder. Chuck nodded at him, conveying with his eyes that he loved his son. Castiel relaxed, allowing himself to be comforted by his family as he tried to push away the grief and pain that he was feeling.

\----------

**Day 2**

As he went through the day, his head was almost always down. Castiel ignored the whispers around him and only listened to the lectures in his classes. When it came time for lunch, he hovered by the cafeteria door and considered his options. He knew that sitting by Jo would not be a good idea. He didn’t have to be around her to know that she was most likely still angry with him. Explaining the reasoning behind their fight would be difficult when their other friends inquired about it. He swallowed hard and walked in, getting his food quickly before turning to the tables. Eyes followed him as he weaved through. He knew that several pairs of them belonged to his friends but he didn’t look back.

When Castiel’s vision centered onto an empty table in the corner, he walked to it slowly and sat down without lifting his gaze. He found that his appetite was not great and instead of eating much, he picked at a banana and stared at the rest of his food silently. When he heard footsteps, his eyes lifted with surprise to see someone else sitting at the table with him. Samandriel laid down his tray before looking up at him with innocent blue eyes.

“Hello Castiel.” The younger teenager said, nodding at him.

When he tilted his head to the side in confusion, Samandriel looked as if he understood the unspoken question. He glanced around at all of the stares that Castiel was receiving and sighed before looking back at him.

“No one should have to sit alone.” He said, looking as though he knew too much about the truth of the statement.

Castiel felt sadness sinking into his chest, not for his situation but for Samandriel’s. The young man knew too much of loneliness and Castiel didn’t like that at all. He found himself nodding at him with a slight smile, a grateful look in his eye.

“Thank you, Samandriel.” He said appreciatively.

He smiled, dimples forming in his cheeks as his eyes shone happily.

“You’re welcome, Castiel.”

\----------

When it came time for his last period, Castiel stood just outside the main building staring at the garage. The others in his class all walked towards it chatting and laughing. Jo was talking to Garth, nodding enthusiastically as he told her something with a goofy grin on his face. When she got to the door, she stopped and glanced around, catching sight of him. A frown appeared on her face and her head tilted to the side. Castiel felt an urge to walk towards her and go to the class but he shoved it down before turning to walk back into the building and to the library.

He sat in the corner of the back in a chair that he always knew was there. His legs curled underneath him as he buried his nose in a Tolstoy novel and let himself get lost in the fictional world. Every few minutes, his heart would ache and he would long to be in the garage watching his mechanic walk around with a grin on his face, winking every time their eyes met. He fought the burning in his eyes and the lump in his throat before he concentrated on the book once more. He had to stop torturing himself or he would never stop feeling so horrible. Castiel knew that he should stop dwelling on everything and that, logically, it wouldn’t be good for him to continue letting himself drown in his misery. But he didn’t see a way out and part of him knew that he wouldn’t try all that hard to move past it.

\----------

He was sitting on his bed reading through a review pack for an upcoming test when a knock sounded on his door. His mother peeked her head in and gave him a smile.

“You have a visitor. That boy from the play.” Rebecca said.

Castiel instantly realized who it was. He was tempted to tell her to turn him away but he climbed off of his bed anyway. She stepped aside and he walked down the stairs, finding Balthazar standing in the entryway. He had a developing bruise on his cheek. When he opened his mouth to speak, Castiel shook his head and gestured for them to go outside.

“Where is the bruise from?” he asked once the door was closed.

Balthazar’s hand lifted to press against his cheek.

“I made the mistake of asking Jo where you were at school.” He said.

Castiel realized that, whereas she’d simply slapped him, she must have punched Balthazar in the face in order to give him such a mark. He fought back a smile at his friend’s behavior, knowing it wasn’t appropriate.

“Why are you here?” he questioned.

“I’ve been out of school.” Balthazar said, looking stressed and much different than his normal flirty look. “I didn’t know about it until now.”

Castiel tilted his head to the side.

“Does it surprise you? Who wouldn’t have talked about it? We both know how it looked.” He said.

Balthazar looked apologetic, shaking his head insistently.

“I can talk about it. I can tell everyone. I can set the record straight.” He offered, stepping towards Castiel.

The dark-haired teenager stared at him for a moment, considering his words before smiling sadly.

“Don’t.” he said simply, reaching out to touch Balthazar’s shoulder. “After all, your reputation stands and I would hate to ruin it. Who would believe you, anyway? They’ve all been waiting for something like this to come out so they would think you were trying to cover it up.”

Balthazar sighed, looking like he really wanted to help.

“I know who spread the rumor. If I can discredit them…”

Castiel shook his head.

“I am asking you not to.” He said quietly, staring into his eyes.

When he turned away to walk back into the house, the other boy spoke again.

“Why? Why won’t you even let me try? I want to make this right so why don’t you want to?” Balthazar questioned, sounding frustrated and curious.

Castiel sighed before glancing back at him.

“Because I deserve it.”

\----------

**Day 10**

Castiel walked slowly, staring at the ground as he did so. It wasn’t getting easier. In fact, it was getting harder and harder to keep himself attentive at school, much less engaged. When his eyes lifted, they widened when he saw that all of his siblings were piled into the car that he and Gabriel shared. After squeezing himself into the back with Michael and Lucifer, he stared around at them with a questioning look.

“We couldn’t decide who got to pick you up.” Anna said simply.

He sighed and shook his head, glancing out the window. When he saw his classmates pouring out of the garage, his heart sank as Dean walked out behind them. He couldn’t tear his eyes away, inhaling deeply as his hands clenched into fists. Michael and Lucifer both noticed, their eyes following his vision. When he saw their jaws tightening and their eyes flashing with anger, he reached over and clenched his hands down on their wrists.

“Please don’t.” he said simply.

His older brothers’ eyes went to him and they both softened when they saw the pleading look. Castiel nodded at them before turning away.

“Take me home, please.” He murmured before looking out the window again.

Dean was bent over the trunk of the Impala shoving a box into it. At the exact moment that they were pulling out, his eyes lifted and stared straight at them. Castiel’s heart skipped a beat as his eyes drifted over the length of the car. Just before they would have made eye contact, he forced his head to turn away. He knew that if he looked into Dean’s eyes, he would never be able to tear his eyes away.

“We’re going out for dinner tonight, just us.” Anna said, peeking over her shoulder at him. “Do you want to come?”

Castiel shook his head, clutching his bag to his chest.

“I’m just going to stay home.” he said quietly, sinking down in his seat.

He saw his siblings exchanging concerned and sad looks but none of them said anything.

\----------

**Day 18**

Castiel was aware of the looks that his family was giving him as they ate dinner. Instead of eating the meal, he pushed it around his plate unconsciously as he stared at the wooden detail of the table.

“Would you like something else, Castiel?” Rebecca questioned.

He shook his head, pushing the plate away. He missed the concerned look that his mother and father shared. When Anna reached over and her hand brushed his shoulder, he didn’t even react. Instead of remaining there to sit in the concerned atmosphere that surrounded him, he stood without saying a word. When he turned his back and walked out of the room, not a single person protested. For some reason, something kept him from walking off and up the stairs. He stopped in place just outside of the dining room and heard his mother speaking.

“Do you think that we need to take him to a doctor?” she asked in a quiet voice.

“I’ve never seen him like this.” Chuck said, sounding almost devastated at the state his son was in. “I don’t know how to help him.”

“If he’d just talk about it with anyone he would get better.” Anna said, sounding miserable as well. “I just hate seeing him like this.”

He stared at the ground as he listened. Castiel knew that he should care what his family was talking about. He knew that he should be angry that they were trying to send him to a therapist. Instead he was apathetic, walking off as he felt yet another weight settling on his heart. He was hurting his family and their current state was all his fault.

\----------

**Day 24**

Samandriel chatted on about his morning classes as they sat at the lunch table together. Castiel stared off into space but he was still listening. The other boy was used to it, simply filling in the silence with his own talking. When another person sat at the table, his head snapped around with surprise to see Charlie sitting there.

“Hey Castiel.” She said, looking at him with big sad eyes.

He didn’t reply, just looking at her. She looked pained at the emotionless look in his eyes and the bags underneath them.

“I don’t know what’s going on but we’re here for you, you know that right? We all miss you. We want you to come back. You can bring your new friend. I’m sure we’ll love to get to know him.”

The redhead grinned at Samandriel who simply flushed and ducked his head, as shy as Castiel was withdrawn.

“Please, Castiel. We’re just worried about you.” Charlie said pleadingly.

His eyes slid past her and he saw everyone except for Jo watching them. When his eyes returned to his friend, he didn’t respond. Instead he did the exact same thing that he always did now. He simply picked up his bag and nodded at Samandriel in a goodbye before walking off silently. Eyes tracked him as he moved and he heard whispers once more. This time they weren’t talking about what happened at the party. They were talking about the fact that it looked like the normally bright-eyed and engaged youngest Novak seemed to be wilting right before their eyes.

\----------

**Day 26**

When his car refused to start one chilly Saturday afternoon, he felt frustrated and angry. Castiel didn’t show it like he usually would, simply walking inside and informing his mother of the state of his car. She instantly became sympathetic, knowing why it would be bothersome to him.

“We can take it to the old mechanic. I’m certain they can fix it.” Rebecca offered, trying to steer his mind away from Dean.

Castiel shook his head once before walking out of the room. When he came back through, he was carrying a large toolbox that hadn’t been used in years. It was left over from when Lucifer became convinced he could be a welder. When she watched him walk out the door, Rebecca moved to the window and watched him walk to the car. Castiel propped open the hood and pushed his sleeves up before bending over it. Soon, Anna and Gabriel came into the room and wondered what was going on when they saw her.

“What is he doing?” Anna questioned when they stood beside her.

“He’s fixing the car.” Their mother sighed, watching with a sad look as he began checking wires and twisting things with a wrench.

When he uncapped a container, he peeked in and shook his head before closing it.

“Does he know enough about cars to do this?” Gabriel wondered.

“I guess we’ll see.” Rebecca replied.

For the next twenty minutes, they watched as Castiel used all manner of tools to work inside of the car. When he finally pulled away and walked to the driver’s seat, all three of his family members held their bright. The triumphant noise of the engine starting filled the air and they all exchanged surprised looks. It cut off and Castiel climbed out, closing the door before gathering up the tools and closing the trunk. Before he could walk back to the house, he suddenly crumpled in the middle of the driveway.

Gabriel and Anna were running out before their mother could process what was going on. Rebecca didn’t move, watching as they bent down and wrapped their arms around him. Castiel’s shoulders trembled and his body heaved as he released all of the emotions he’d been trying to keep down in gasping sobs. Anna’s hand stroked his hair and Gabriel rubbed his back comfortingly. The siblings exchanged devastated looks, wondering what they could possibly do to keep this from happening anymore.

\----------

**Day 29**

Castiel’s eyes were still red-rimmed and puffy. He’d avoided everyone like the plague except for during lunch when he couldn’t bring himself to leave Samandriel alone. When he settled into his chair in the library during shop class, he expected for it to be another hour and a half full of reading the Divine Comedy this time. He heard the door open and surprise flickered in the back of his mind. No one else ever came in during this period, almost everyone else being in class. When he heard footsteps walking straight towards him across the carpet, his eyes lifted slowly.

Jo was standing there with her arms crossed over her chest. He looked at her with shock, wondering why she wasn’t in class. Jo glanced over him and a flicker of sadness and concern went through her gaze. When she finally spoke, her quiet words shocked him to the core.

“Dean wants you back in class.”

Castiel was even more surprised, his eyes widening as he felt an icy chill run through him.

“He’s tired of you skipping. So am I.” Jo said simply, clenching her jaw and looking away.

He didn’t move or respond, simply staring.

“I miss my best friend.” She admitted before turning on her heel to walk out.

Castiel sat there in shock for a few moments before reaching down to grab his bag. When he stood, he found himself automatically tracing her footsteps out of there. She was waiting outside of the library, leaning against the wall. When he walked out, she fell into step with him automatically.

“I miss you too.” Castiel finally spoke as they walked outside.

Jo glanced over at him before taking a deep breath.

“Balthazar talked to me.” she said. “He found me at school yesterday.”

Castiel looked over at her to see that she was glaring back at him. Suddenly her hand shot out and punched him in the arm. He staggered automatically before righting himself and rubbing at the spot on his bicep.

“Why the hell didn’t you tell me what really happened?” she demanded, stopping them.

He didn’t answer, staring at her as he tried to come up with a way to tell her without really getting into it.

“I deserved your anger. I deserved everything.” Castiel finally murmured.

Jo frowned, looking frustrated and confused.

“What do you mean, you deserved it?” she questioned.

He shrugged, turning away from her.

“Don’t tell anyone, please.” He sighed.

Jo looked at him with wide eyes.

“You’re still going to keep this quiet? Why? Because a twisted part of you thinks you deserve this? You don’t. I feel like shit for the way I treated you because now I know it was for no reason. Everyone else deserves to know.”

Castiel knew exactly who she meant.

“Don’t tell him.” he said simply before turning to walk to the garage once more.

Jo remained still for a few moments before chasing to catch up with him.

“Fine, I won’t tell him. But that’s only because you need to.” She said, pointing at him threateningly before walking ahead to enter the garage.

Castiel hesitated, his heart pounding as he looked up at it. When he finally pulled the door open with shaking hands, he found that it looked the exact same. His car was next to Jo’s and it didn’t look any different. His eyes scanned the other students where they were all staring at him in surprise to see him there after almost a month of absences. Castiel noted that Meg’s eyes were narrowed and her mouth was set in a grimace. He didn’t dwell on it too long, his eyes falling on the desk where Dean was leaning against it with his eyes on Castiel.

His heart thumped painfully as the other male lifted his hand and gestured for him to come over. Castiel didn’t hesitate, walking to the desk. Dean walked around it and rifled through some papers as he approached. When he was on the other side of the desk, the mechanic finally looked up at him. He pathetically found himself lost in the green eyes that were much less cold and angry.

“You have a lot of catching up to do.” Dean said, sounding more withdrawn than he ever had.

Castiel nodded, agreeing to his point.

“You can’t get it all done in class. Everyone else is far ahead of you. As of now, I’ll be here every Saturday from 9AM to 1PM. So will you, until you get caught up. We’re through chapter thirteen of the book so you need to get there. For today, just go read.” Dean instructed.

He didn’t say a word, turning to walk to his car.

“Don’t skip anymore classes.”

Castiel wondered if it was his imagination or if Dean’s voice really was warmer and more pleading. When he turned his head back, he saw a slight hint of desperation in Dean’s eyes. He didn’t know what it meant but he couldn’t deny it, nodding.

“I won’t.” he finally promised before walking to his car and sliding into the messed up seats.

\----------

**One Month Previous**

_Castiel stared up at Balthazar groggily, a lazy smile on his face as his hand twisted into Balthazar’s shirt and he tried to bring him in closer. Suddenly his mind cleared just as he smelled the alcohol on the other teenager’s breath. His hand planted in the middle of Balthazar’s shirt and he pushed on him, scrambling away on the bed._

_“I-I’m sorry.” He choked out, panic rising in him as he realized what he was just about to do._

_Balthazar sat on the bed next to him and Castiel looked up to see an understanding look on his face._

_“Not as over that other person as you thought you were?” he questioned._

_Castiel shook his head, feeling sick as he clutched his chest through his clothing._

_“I can’t… I can’t…” he took a deep breath and swallowed hard. “I can’t do this to him. I can’t betray him.”_

_Balthazar shifted on the bed, sitting beside him and stretching his legs out._

_“I do hope that Mr. Winchester appreciates your loyalty to him.” he said._

_Castiel’s eyes widened and he looked over at him with shock._

_“W-what… how...?” he stammered._

_“It’s not too hard to guess. You’ve been pretty defensive of him for a while and I did see the gaudy black Impala in the parking lot of that apartment complex. I’m smarter than people give me credit for.” The blonde teenager shrugged._

_“Why didn’t you tell anyone?” Castiel asked, unable to fully comprehend what was going on._

_“I don’t want you to be destroyed. I might be a man of lust but just because the object of my desires is with someone else does not mean that I am vindictive enough to wish either of them any harm. Despite the fact that I find you very attractive and wish very much to have you, I would not wish to force anything on you.” Balthazar said honestly._

_Suddenly the dark-haired male saw the other teenager for everything that he was. He was not a bad person or a particularly annoying one anymore. He was a good person and Castiel regretted never giving Balthazar a chance to show him that._

_“I’m sorry.” He whispered._

_Balthazar shook his head, reaching out to squeeze his knee._

_“You have nothing to be sorry for.” He assured Castiel._

_There was a few moments of silence as they stared at each other, both awkwardly wondering what to do now._

_“So, since I already know the basic information, tell me all about this thing with the hot mechanic. I am so very interested in learning how he managed to catch the interest of the most famous youngest Novak.” Balthazar said, smirking._

_Castiel hesitantly smiled back before opening his mouth and launching into the basic story of what happened with him and Dean, leaving out a lot of the personal parts that the other male didn’t need to hear. By the time he finished, Balthazar was staring at him with wide eys._

_“That is all much more serious than I thought. It’s not just a fling, is it?”_

_Castiel hesitated before shrugging._

_“I’m not sure what it is.” He admitted. “Once I apologize and set things right, I will ask.”_

_Balthazar stared at him for a moment, a slightly awed look on his face._

_“What?” Castiel asked, wondering if there was something on him._

_“It’s just… you really do love him, don’t you?”_

_His mind short-circuited at the word and he stared at Balthazar blankly._

_“What?” Castiel finally managed to say._

_“Oh come on. You’ve got to realize it by now. You are lost on him and it is plain for anyone to see if they look hard enough and get you to talk about him long enough. I mean the way you speak, I’d almost think sunshine really came out of his ass.” Balthazar acknowledged._

_He flushed a deep red color and turned away._

_“I-I don’t… I don’t know.” He stuttered, staring down at his hands._

_“Well as soon as you do know, let me know. I can’t wait to rub it in that I was right.” Balthazar said before pulling him up to stand._

_Castiel realized that he was almost feeling normal after the long sobering talk. When he looked at the time on the wall, he realized that it was quite late._

_“I should get home.” he said._

_Balthazar nodded, wrapping an arm around his shoulder as he pulled him out of the room._

_“I know that I should be more jealous of your mechanic but I am very impressed that he managed to get you feeling this way. I know now that he must be a very special man.” he acknowledged as they moved towards the stairs._

_Castiel nodded, a rush of affection for Dean running through him._

_“We’re arguing right now and I wish to fix it.” he said sadly._

_“Then fix it. There’s no time like the present and he deserves to know that you care.”_

_Castiel considered his words and considered how to approach Dean. When he thought of simply apologizing, he realized that it would never be enough. He had to make everything right with Dean because he cared far too much not to do so. When his eyes widened and realization settled within him, he turned to the other teenager as they walked down towards the party._

_“You’re right.” he breathed._

_“About?” Balthazar replied, raising his eybrows._

_“Dean, I…” Castiel hesitated. “I lo…”_

_When he caught sight of the gazes trained on them, he cut off. Every single person was watching as they walked down, leaning in towards each other with Balthazar’s arm hanging over his shoulders. His face paled slightly before he glanced at the blonde-haired male._

_“I think that is my cue to leave.” He murmured, moving towards the door._

_Balthazar did not complain, staring around at everyone as he walked him to the front door. Castiel walked to his car slowly, trying to sober himself completely as he slid into the driver’s seat. He didn’t remember much of his ride home, due to alcohol consumption or exhaustion. When he finally got home, he didn’t hesitate before going upstairs and collapsing into his bed facedown. Before he slid into unconsciousness, a slight smile spreaded across his face as he remembered what he’d realized._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will be more of Dean’s point of view during the month of this chapter. It will follow the same format with the time skipping a few days. It will be out soon (I hope tomorrow). I did not plan to reveal what really happened at the party until much later but it fit with this chapter so I had to do it. I hope you liked it!


	24. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean is dealing with the aftermath of everything. As he tries to deal with the reality of the situation alone, he finds that doing so is not going well for him and tries to reach out to others for help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is not going to be as long as the last. In fact, it’s not going to be long at all because I’m not feeling it with this chapter. It will explain parts of Dean’s dealing with everything but it won’t dwell on it either. I know we all want the story to move along. I’m not too proud of this chapter but I guess they can’t all be great.
> 
> Thank you so much to everyone for the kind comments. You are all absolutely amazing and you make this story worth writing. I could not do it without each and every one of you.

**Day 1**

Dean tried to shut himself off but the pain aching in his chest wouldn’t allow it. Everything around him reminded him of the reason for his turmoil. The couch they kissed on, the television they watched movies on, the kitchen Castiel had the pies in, and the bedroom they were intimate in. Even the bottle of whiskey in his hand couldn’t shut out the reminders. Still, he tried to block it out. The liquid burned down his throat and his body thrummed with warmth. Yet every time he closed his eyes, Castiel’s blue orbs stared deep into his mind and the hurt in them caused pangs in his heart. When his phone rang, he picked it up without looking at the ID, something he immediately regretted.

“Dean? Where are you?” Jo demanded.

“Why?” he groaned, leaning his head back on the couch.

“I’m worried about you. Tell me you’re not out drinking.” She said, sounding panicked.

Dean considered her words before taking a deep breath.

“Stop calling, Jo. I’m at home.” He said simply before hanging the phone up.

It didn’t take long before his phone rang once more. When he picked it up, he was ready to yell.

“Dean?”

He froze and squeezed his phone tightly.

“Sam, what are you…?”

“Jo called me. She’s worried. What the hell’s going on?” his little brother questioned.

Dean sighed heavily and leaned forward, placing the half-empty bottle of whiskey on the coffee table before he sat back and rubbed his hand down his face.

“Sam, she shouldn’t have called you.” he said.

“Dean, you’re drinking. I can tell. What happened? Is it Castiel?”

He swallowed hard and shook his head.

“Don’t worry about it, Sammy. You need to worry about school and Jess. Don’t worry about me.” Dean said.

“I am worried about you, Dean. Did you break up?” Sam asked.

He hesitated, shaking his head.

“We just… we’re… having problems. Just focus on you. I’m fine.” He said.

“Like hell you are.” Sam fired back, sounding frustrated.

Dean sighed heavily once more.

“I’ll let you know if I need you, all right?” he offered.

There were a few moments of silence and then his brother made a noise of assent.

“I’m sorry, Dean.” Sam said quietly.

He remained quiet and nodded despite the fact that he knew his brother couldn’t hear. His eyes burned and his throat constricted but Dean swallowed it down.

“Talk to you later, Sammy.” He said, his voice breaking on his brother’s name before he hung up the phone.

\----------

**Day 2**

Dean’s heart thumped heavily as he paced the room and ran his fingers through his short hair. The lingering effects of the whiskey affected his head but he tried not to pay attention to it. The students began trickling in, all of them chatting eagerly about the day’s events. When he turned to look at the door, he saw Jo standing in it glancing over her shoulder. There was a sad look on her face as she turned to walk in. Their eyes met and Dean frowned when he saw that she was alone. His head tilted to the side slightly and she took a deep breath and shook her head.

He felt his heart drop slightly and he turned away, shoving his emotions down as he faced his class minus the dark-haired teenager he desperately wanted to see and didn’t want to see at all. Jo’s sympathetic gaze the whole time didn’t help him. When he walked to her and squatted down beside her car, refusing to look at the Chevelle behind him, she pressed her lips together and waited for him to speak.

“He’s not here?” he asked.

“He is.” She sighed, looking down at her hands. “He’s been at school all day. He never skips class.”

Dean frowned and Jo instantly backtracked, seeing how the words affected him.

“I’m sorry.” She said quickly.

He looked back up at her and sighed.

“Jo, I know that you’re concerned.” Dean said in a low voice, trying to keep in neutral. “But don’t call Sam again.”

Her eyes widened as he stood and walked off. When he announced that he was going to run to the school, the students barely paid attention. As he walked through the hallways, his footsteps echoed around the empty corridors. He knew exactly where the teenager would be. When he walked into the library, the woman at the desk didn’t spare him a second look. Dean walked silently through the shelves, glancing around. When he saw the chair and its occupant around a corner, he stepped back and peered at him through a space between books.

Castiel looked sadder than Dean had ever seen him. His eyes were on a book in his lap but his mind was far off, Dean could tell. As he looked upon the dark-haired male, Dean clenched his jaw against the rising lump in his throat. One salty drop slid down his cheek as he clenched his hands into fists. When he heard a throat clear, he turned to see the librarian standing there with a raised eyebrow. He didn’t say anything, glancing back at Castiel once before hurrying past her.

\----------

**Day 10**

“You’re guzzling that down awful fast.” Ellen commented, watching as he drank the whiskey she gave him eagerly.

Dean didn’t answer, setting the glass on the bar before shaking his head.

“You really don’t want to know, Ellen.” He sighed.

“Oh I already know. Jo isn’t exactly silent when it comes to her feelings and since she’s currently lacking a best friend to discuss things with, her momma has to hear it all.” The bar owner replied.

Dean looked up at her with surprise.

“What do you mean? Her and Cas aren’t talking?” he asked.

Ellen shook her head.

“She’s pretty upset with him right now. Jo cares about you more than she lets on and the fact that you’re hurt doesn’t sit well with her. But how are you doing?” she asked.

Dean clenched his jaw before shaking his head.

“Don’t ask.” He said simply, gesturing for her to refill his glass.

Ellen’s head lifted to look at the opening door of the restaurant as she fetched the bottle of whiskey. Her eyes widened and she glanced back at Dean with a slight look of alarm. When he turned his head, his stomach dropped when he saw the four people entering.

“You need to go?” Ellen asked.

Dean shook his head, turning back to face her.

“Beer instead of whiskey.” He decided.

Ellen nodded and handed him a glass full of the amber liquid. It didn’t take long for him to feel a presence at his side. When his eyes lifted, he didn’t see who he expected. The three older Novak brothers were sitting at a table glaring in his direction but Anna was standing beside him. Her eyes lifted to glance at Ellen before they returned to Dean.

“My brother is devastated.” She said simply.

Anna didn’t stick around to see his reaction, turning to walk away.

“Did he tell you?” Dean asked.

She stopped and turned back to face him.

“He didn’t need to. I can see his guilt even if he doesn’t want to show it. Whatever he did, or didn’t do, I know that he’s a good person. He doesn’t deserve what he’s putting on himself just like you don’t deserve to feel how you are. I’m not going to insult you or threaten you even though my brothers really want me to. I’m just going to tell you that Castiel didn’t mean it, whatever it was.”

Dean stared at her for a moment.

“How can you know that when you don’t even know what it was?” he questioned.

Anna smiled sadly.

“He’s my brother. I’m sure you know how I can know.” She said simply before walking away.

Dean stared after her, watching as she sat with her brothers and turned their faces away from him.

“You okay?” Ellen asked, sounding concerned.

“No.” he answered, sighing as he turned to face her. “I’m really not.”

\----------

**Day 18**

“What’s going on?” Dean asked as he walked into Bobby’s office.

The older man looked up at him and took a deep breath as he stood up.

“Ellen and Jo were talking last night.” He said.

Dean groaned and rolled his eyes, dropping into a chair.

“They shouldn’t have.” He sighed, rubbing his forehead.

Bobby sank into his chair and stared at him.

“Yeah, they should have. I ain’t gonna demand any details. I just want to know if you’re all right.”

Dean looked up at him with surprise. It took him a few moments to form words.

“I’m fine.” He said, shrugging.

“Bullshit.” Bobby replied easily, already sensing that Dean wasn’t being truthful. “You’ve been walking around like a zombie for the past couple of weeks.”

Dean looked up at him with a guarded expression.

“I know you hate talking about feelings and this is makin’ you uncomfortable but honestly I couldn’t give a damn. I’m here for you, Dean. Even if you don’t want me to be. We all are. I don’t know everything that happened but I know that you’re strong and you’ll figure this out.”

He didn’t answer, picking at a hole in his jeans.

“You’re a good man, Dean.” Bobby said.

He swallowed hard and looked up at him.

“Thanks, Bobby.” Dean said hoarsely.

\----------

**Day 24**

Jo sat beside him with her hands folded together.

“I’m angry.” Dean admitted, ducking his head. “I don’t really know what else to say or do. I’m just… angry.”

She nodded, looking understanding.

“I never thought it would happen with Cas. Especially after Lisa and what she did in high school. I thought… I thought I was too smart to experience this again.” He sighed.

Jo leaned into him.

“I am angry with him. I don’t even know how to talk to him right now. As much as I’m upset, I’m still thinking about it. Cas isn’t the type of guy to do anything like this. He would never purposefully cheat on anyone.” She said. “Alcohol does weird things and trust me when I say that he’s not even close to being able to deal with it.”

Dean looked over at her.

“Does that excuse him?” he questioned.

She shook her head.

“Only you can decide whether to forgive him.”

\----------

**Day 26**

“I don’t know what to do here, Sammy.” Dean admitted once he finished telling him everything.

There was silence on the other end of the phone for several moments.

“Do I forgive him? Do I stay pissed? What happens now? I can’t even think about what to do here.” He said miserably.

Sam took a deep breath.

“I can’t say I’m not angry at Castiel because I’m furious. I hate seeing you hurt, Dean. On the other side of things, I know that despite this, you still care about him. I also know what alcohol does to people. I know that you know that too. You’ve experienced it. Castiel wasn’t in full control of his actions. That doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be held responsible but it makes me more understanding towards his situation. That being said, if you want to forgive him, you can do that. If you don’t know if you can ever go back to the way you were, you can go to the way you were supposed to be. You can be his teacher and maybe even his friend like with Jo.” Sam suggested.

Dean considered his words carefully, thinking hard about what was going to happen now.

\----------

**Day 29**

When he walked into his classroom, he couldn’t bring himself to sit down. He paced across the floor, clenching his jaw and shaking his head. When the others walked in, he walked up to Jo immediately. She stared up at him with surprise and waited on him to speak.

“Library. Back corner chair.” He said simply, his mouth feeling dry. “Tell him to come back.”

Jo knew what he was talking about immediately. She nodded and made her way out of the garage. Dean looked around at the students and his eyes fell on one of them. Meg was watching Jo leave with narrowed eyes, her arms crossed over her chest. Dean squinted at her for a moment before turning away. He clapped his hands, instructing them to get to work before he leaned against his desk. He alternated between watching them work and glancing at the door. Ten minutes later, it opened and Jo walked through looking devastated and frustrated at the same time. Dean’s heart sank when he realized that it might have meant that Castiel refused to come.

When he walked through the door, his heart began thumping in his chest. Castiel glanced around before their eyes met. Dean swallowed hard and gestured for him to come to the desk. When he turned away, he tried to busy himself with focusing on the papers on his desk. He tried to shove his emotions away as he looked up at the dark-haired teenager. Staring into his bright blue eyes that looked sad and tired after so long sent pangs through his chest.

“You have a lot of catching up to do.” he finally said, trying to sound separate from the situation.

Castiel didn’t looks surprised, nodding along with his statement.

“You can’t get it all done in class. Everyone else is far ahead of you. As of now, I’ll be here every Saturday from 9AM to 1PM. So will you, until you get caught up. We’re through chapter thirteen of the book so you need to get there. For today, just go read.” Dean instructed.

Castiel didn’t say a word, turning to walk to his car. Before he walked away, Dean felt a stab of something in his chest and he couldn’t help the words that came out of his mouth next.

“Don’t skip anymore classes.” He said, wincing at the pleading tone in his voice.

Castiel stopped short and turned around to look at him. Dean clenched his jaw and stared at him, waiting for his reaction. The other male nodded once.

“I won’t.” he said quietly before turning to walk away.

\----------

**One Month Previous**

_Dean’s chest was heaving as he walked up to his door. He fumbled with the keys before stumbling through his door. As soon as it was closed, he leaned against it as he tried to control his emotions. He couldn’t believe the rumors but everyone seemed so certain. The fact that neither Castiel nor his friend were at the school spoke a lot about the situation as well as the fact that Cas hadn’t been answering his phone. He barely made it into the living room before he collapsed onto the couch and buried his head in his hands._

_His thoughts rushed through his head but mostly what he was thinking was, why? Why did this have to happen? Why was he being forced to experience this again? Why did the best thing in his life have to be fucked up by the person he cared for so much doing something so horrible? Dean lifted his head and saw an empty beer bottle on the table. Before he knew it, his hand wrapped around the neck and he was hurtling it at the wall._

_A loud cross between a wail and a shout escaped from his mouth as he crumpled to his knees, yanking on his hair. His emotion ran through him and made it hard for him to breath. He wouldn’t get any sleep that night. He wouldn’t eat dinner or breakfast. He would get to school late and he would ignore the others as they walked in. And when Castiel came in looking panicked and alarmed, Dean couldn’t stop the feeling of betrayal that rose within him. The words fell out of his mouth before he could help them._

_“Do you mind?” he said, his voice dead and emotionless. “I have a class to teach.”_

_The hurt in the other male’s eyes made him want to cry out again. When he turned away, he had to control the urge to cry once more. When he turned back and Castiel was gone from the room, he had to fight the urge to collapse onto the ground and release his inner turmoil yet again. But he kept himself upright and tried to force himself to be strong. He faced his class and he told them of the day’s assignment in an even voice and he shoved away all thoughts of Castiel before they drove him mad._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m so sorry about this chapter. I actually really hate it. But I don’t want to waste time rewriting it instead of moving on so this is what we’re all stuck with. I hope that you can forgive me.


	25. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Cas are meeting on Saturdays and after several, one of them finally breaks and decides to make the first move towards reconciliation. Two of their friends decide to go on their own quest to fix things between them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You are all going to hate me at the end of this chapter for a very bad reason. On the other end of things, something you’ve been waiting for is going to happen in the next chapter. This chapter isn’t going to be long only so that we can get to that chapter. This is more of a bridge chapter so I’m talking like no more than 2,000 words. Don’t worry, I’ll update again really soon. It’s going to be taking a look at Dean and Castiel’s Saturdays together as well as two characters teaming up to help fix things without the couple’s knowledge.

**First Saturday**

Castiel clenched and unclenched his fists as he stood before the intimidating building. He glanced back at the parking lot, seeing the shiny black car sitting next to his own clunker. When he turned back, he took a deep breath and stepped forward. He hovered with his hand halfway stretched towards the doorknob. Did he knock? Did he just go in? He had no idea how to treat this situation. Finally, he pulled the door open and stepped in. Dean was sitting at his desk rifling through papers. He glanced up at him and their eyes met for several moments before the mechanic nodded at the Chevelle that had remained untouched for a month.

“You remember where you left off?” he asked.

Castiel swallowed hard before nodding.

“I was working on the radiator.” He replied.

Dean nodded before gesturing to the car.

“Get to work. If you finish with that, work on the front suspension.” He instructed.

Castiel turned away, opening the hood of his car once he got there. Their conversation was stilted and detached and he hated every moment of it. At least he was able to lose himself in working on the familiar engine. If he could distract himself from Dean’s presence, perhaps he could make it through these extra sessions after all. Soon he was lost in his movements, focusing on the machinery and forgetting everything else. Castiel breathed evenly as he threw himself into the work, twisting caps and cleaning metal off. Every once in a while, he thought he could feel a gaze on his back but he tried to block it out, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment before continuing his work.

\----------

Dean tried to keep himself busy. He went through papers and wrote down progress reports for all of his students. When he got to Castiel’s name, he looked up at the male in question. Castiel was faced away from him, bent over the engine in a familiar position. All of the times that Dean was at his side floated through his mind. Their shared smiles and flirty comments echoed through his head and he rubbed his jaw with frustration and tried to hide the sadness in his eyes. He dropped his gaze and took a deep breath, flipping the paper with Castiel’s name over.

“Dean?”

His head snapped up and he saw Castiel standing a few feet away with an uncertain expression. He fumbled with his hands as he shifted from foot to foot.

“What’s going on?” Dean asked, straightening up.

He glanced back at the car with a conflicted look.

“I need help.” He admitted.

Dean stood quickly, moving around his desk.

“With what?” he said.

Castiel stared after him for a moment before following him.

“The front suspension. It’s jammed somehow.” He explained.

Dean slid his jacket off and tossed it over Jo’s car before leaning over the car and inspecting the engine. Castiel stood a few feet away and watched him. The mechanic glanced up and looked over at him with surprise before sighing heavily.

“I don’t bite, Cas. The same rules apply. When I’m at your engine, so are you. I’m not doing your work for you and you have a lot to get caught up on so I wouldn’t waste time if I were you.” he said.

Castiel stepped forward hesitantly and leaned over the engine with him. After spending several minutes talking about the suspension and what was wrong with it, Dean straightened up when he was certain that Castiel understood. The teenager looked up at him, biting his lip hesitantly.

“Thank you, Dean.” He said in a solemn voice.

The older male faltered as he stared back at him.

“You’re welcome, Cas.” He replied quietly before turning to walk back to his desk.

Cas stared after him with a sad look, longing to feel Dean’s hands on him once more. Instead of voicing his thoughts, he shoved them away and turned back to his project.

\----------

**Second Saturday**

Castiel was surprised when he walked in and saw Dean with two coffee containers from the nearest café sitting on his desk. The other man looked up at him and let his eyes skirt over his winter clothes.

“Hot chocolate.” He said simply, gesturing to the second cup.

His chest filled with a slight warmth as he walked forward to pick up the drink. He took a drink of it as he walked to the car.

“Doing the wheels today, right?” Dean questioned.

Castiel nodded, setting his drink on the ground as he slid his coat off.

“I’m installing the hubcaps.” He replied.

“Let me know if you need help.” Dean said, sitting at his desk as he sorted through documents for his father’s medical bills.

He stared after the other man with confusion, wondering why he was being so kind.

\----------

When he walked out of the school, Baltahazar did not expect to see another person leaning against his car.

“Is it my lucky day?” he asked sarcastically.

Jo turned to face him with raised eyebrows.

“We need to talk.” She said.

“I agree.” He nodded. “And considering that I know exactly what you’re going to say, how about we go to speak to our illustrious principal right now?”

The blonde female stared at him for a moment before nodding once.

“Fine.” She said.

Jo marched up to him and they fell into step as they walked back towards the school.

“Just to get one thing clear, we’re doing to fix this bullshit between Castiel and Dean, not to get you on anyone’s good side. And by anyone, I mean my best friend.”

Balthazar grinned over at her.

“I know.” He assured her.

\----------

**Third Saturday**

Castiel finally broke after two hours of silence in the garage. He turned to Dean with an exasperated expression and dropped the tool that he was holding.

“I am sorry.” He said.

Dean looked up from the papers he was glancing over with surprise.

“What?” he asked.

Castiel charged forward, unable to let this go on any longer.

“I’m sorry for causing you pain. I’m sorry for asking you to do something ridiculous and I am very sorry for everything that I did or didn’t do. I am completely responsible for the state of our relationship and I am sorry.” He ranted. “What I did was deplorable and you did not deserve it.”

Dean sighed before standing up slowly.

“No, I didn’t.” he agreed.

Castiel stared at him for a moment.

“How much longer is this going to go on? This space? This uncomfortable atmosphere?” he questioned.

Dean looked at him with wide eyes.

“Do you really think that we can just go back to the way it was?” he asked.

Castiel shook his head, clenching his fists.

“I think that we can do something. We have been going on for three weeks without saying so much as a word other than what is necessary. You got me hot chocolate last week and then proceeded to ignore me for the next four hours. I am confused and I am wanting clarity. I need to know what happens now.” He said desperately.

Dean swallowed hard before shaking his head.

“This, Cas.” He said, gesturing between them. “This happens now, It’s what has to happen. There is so much that has happened and neither of us have really let go of any of it. So this is what happens. We go about like this, polite and withdrawn.”

Castiel shook his head, marching towards Dean.

“Bullshit.” he refused. “I will not believe that. No matter what has happened in the past, I believe that we are stronger than this. I still care for you immensely and I will not let that go unless I am forced. If you truly do not want me then tell me and I will leave you alone but if you do… if there is any chance…”

He cut off, standing just before Dean.

“It doesn’t have to be that way.” he reiterated.

Dean took a deep breath.

“Cas, I… I don’t know if I can… what happened was pretty significant. It’s not like we got in a fight over something small and then another small thing happened. We went through a lot of shit. To just let all of that go, it will take a while.”

Castiel stared at him for a moment before moving forward once more. Dean suddenly found himself with his arms full of the teenager as their lips crashed together. It took him several moments to realize what was happening before he automatically responded. Each male poured their feelings into the kiss, anger, betrayal, regret, and guilt all raging through their bodies as they melded together. When Castiel pulled away moments later, he stared up at Dean with desperate eyes.

“Tell me if you’re willing.” He whispered before breaking away from him.

Dean watched with shock as he gathered his stuff and turned to the door, leaving early despite not being dismissed. Castiel paused before opening the door.

“I am willing to fight.” He said simply before running out.

Dean stood there, thinking about everything with surprise as he processed it all. He didn’t know how to feel but he knew that he would have to take a long time to think about it.

\----------

Castiel could hardly believe what he did. Being separate from Dean for so long had finally taken a toll on him. His hands gripped the steering wheel as he sped down the main street. A smile played at his lips as he knew that he’d done what he wanted to. He pushed forward and he made the first step. If he was lucky, this left him open to explain everything that had happened, to reveal to Dean that he did not betray him when the guilt of their fighting and him putting himself in the situation that started the room was gone.

His phone began ringing in his pocket and he let go of the steering wheel with one hand, digging around in it. When he suddenly felt the car hit a slick spot and the automobile began spinning out on the street, his phone was forgotten as he let out a loud cry of panic and tried to correct his movements. The last thing he heard was honking horns, roaring in his ears, and the sound of busting glass as his car slid sideways into the light pole. Everything went black when his head slammed into the steering wheel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for the short chapter and the horribleness of the writing! This is one confusing spot where I was trying to bridge two major plot lines and I don’t think I did a great job at it. This is probably going to be as good as it gets and I don’t want to waste any time so I’m going to go ahead and let this happen. The next chapter will be much longer and hopeful of a better quality.


	26. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel recovers from his accident and converses with a surprising person only to learn a surprising secret. At school, his attacker is revealed to everyone and one of his own secrets is revealed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone for the kind comments. You are all absolutely amazing and you make this story worth writing. I could not do it without each and every one of you.
> 
> All right this chapter is going to be longer. And you are going to love the end, I promise. It’s everything you want to see and more. There is going to be a shocking reveal somewhere in the middle of this and two characters who have not gotten along in the past are actually going to sit down with each other and talk.

Dean didn’t stop moving, pacing the garage anxiously. His phone was in one hand and he was tapping it anxiously on his other palm.

“Call me back, Cas.” He said to the empty room, shaking his head with frustration.

Finally he lunged towards his jacket and threw it on, grabbing his keys before ripping open the door to the garage. That was when he saw the small blonde hurtling towards him, snow kicking up behind her feet as she ran up to the garage.

“Dean!” Jo yelled.

It took him several moments to see the tears tracking down her face as she reached him.

“What is it?” he asked, panic rising in him.

“It’s Castiel.” She sobbed, clutching at his arms.

They were in his Impala within moments. Ellen was behind them as they sped towards the hospital. Seeing Castiel’s car smashed against a metal pole with the driver’s door ripped off and glass everywhere didn’t help their current state. Jo was crying in the seat next to him and Dean’s heart was pounding out of his chest. His hands clenched the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles were white. When they reached the hospital, they practically leapt out of the car. As soon as they ran into the emergency entrance, they saw Castiel’s family minus the two older brothers at the desk talking to a doctor in a white lab coat.

Jo rushed up to them and Rebecca immediately wrapped her arms around the hysterical best friend of her son. Ellen walked up as well but Dean remained behind, not sure what to do. He wanted to see Castiel very desperately but he knew that he wasn’t allowed unless the family gave permission. The first person that noticed him hovering was his usual cheery former student. Gabriel’s face, instead of greeting him with a sarcastic smirk, adopted a raging look.  
“What the hell are you doing here?” he demanded, starting forward.

The others looked back with panic at his sudden outburst. Dean had no idea how to react to him.

“Cas.” he breathed simply.

“Don’t even say his name! I don’t give a shit what happened between you and I don’t give a shit if it was entirely his fault! My brother has been in a depression for almost two months and I sure as hell know that you’re the cause of it!”

Despite his size, Gabriel was doing a good job of crowding him towards the door.

“Gabriel, Dean just wants to be here for Castiel.” Jo said, trying to keep him from yelling at him.

“I don’t care!” Castiel’s older brother yelled. “Get the fuck out of here before I beat the shit out of you!”

Gabriel looked fearless despite the fact that Dean had a few inches on him. Dean looked up to see the rest of the Novak family looking on with shock, their faces pale as they tried to process everything that was happening.

“I’ll go.” he conceded, feeling devastated to be backing out of the hospital. “I’m leaving.”

Jo looked after him with wide eyes, tears still streaming down her face. She rushed after him after several moments.

“I’ll keep you updated. I’ll let you know what happens.” She assured him before yanking him into a hug. “When he wakes up, I’ll tell him that you came.”

Dean nodded numbly before turning to walk back to his car.

\----------

The first thing he felt was a dull pain in his head. He groaned as his eyes fluttered and bright light appeared in his vision. When he lifted his hand to press to his forehead, something tugged it back down. It itched and he didn’t like it. When he reached down to scratch at it, another hand caught his to keep him from pulling out the IV.

“You don’t want to do that, kiddo.”

Castiel finally opened his eyes and turned his head slowly, squinting at the person sitting beside him.

“Dad?” he mumbled, feeling groggy as he tried to blink the blurriness out of his eyes.

Chuck smiled at him before reaching up to pat his shoulder.

“You really worried us.” He said.

Castiel looked down, seeing that he was in a hospital bed with blankets draped over him. When he saw the rest of his family, including Michael and Lucifer, sprawled throughout the private hospital room, he took a deep breath and pulled his hands underneath him. His father helped him sit up as he clenched his teeth.

“What happened?” he questioned hoarsely as Rebecca handed him a glass of water.

“You slipped on some ice, crashed into a light pole on Main Street.” His mother explained.

His eyes widened as he remembered what happened.

“The car?” he asked, sitting up straighter despite the throbbing in his ribs.

“You smashed it up.” Gabriel said, walking to stand at the end of the bed with Anna.

Michael and Lucifer stood behind them. Castiel looked at him with an apology in his eyes.

“I’m sorry.” He said quietly.

Gabriel smirked at him, his eyes sparkling.

“It’s okay, Cassie. You’ll just have to be my personal slave for the next two months.” He said, winking.

Anna stared over at him with slightly hostile eyes that confused Castiel as the others laughed.

“You just have a few cracked ribs, a concussion, and a sprained wrist.” Chuck informed him, gesturing to the brace on his left wrist. “You came out pretty good considering the state of your car.”

Castiel sighed and lay back against his pillows.

“How long will I be here?” he asked.

“Only until they’re sure your concussion isn’t more serious. Maybe two or three more days.”

He gave his mother a miserable look. He couldn’t take so long to get back. Not after what just happened to Dean. Suddenly he remembered something and he jerked up, staring around wildly.

“My phone. Someone was calling me when I…”

“Oh your phone is right here.” Rebecca said, pointing to the bedside table.

Castiel reached for it but she stopped him.

“It’s dead, Castiel.” She said.

He sighed with disappointment, leaning back against the uncomfortable pillow.

“I’ll bring your charger later.” Anna volunteered.

“No.” Chuck said, shaking his head. “We all know that Castiel will want to get out of here as soon as possible so to speed his recovery… no cell phones. No schoolwork…”

Castiel looked up at him with wide eyes, shaking his head. That was too far out of the realm of possibility.

“Relaxation.” His father instructed strictly. “Anything else can wait.”

He snapped his mouth shut and sat back with a huff.

“How about a burger, at least?” Rebecca offered, smiling at her husband’s ultimatum.

“Thank God.” Lucifer said. “I’m starving.”

He winked at Castiel as Rebecca slapped his shoulder.

“I mean for your younger brother. If you want food you can go get it yourself.” She said, rolling her eyes.

“You go get it. We’ll stick around.” Gabriel said.

Rebecca nodded, pulling her husband out of the room.

“Oh and Jo will be by soon. When she gets here you guys leave them alone without bothering them. Castiel needs some time with his best friend.” She instructed before walking out.

Castiel sighed with relief, grateful that he was going to get time with someone mostly normal. For the next hour, his siblings distracted him with conversation, making them all laugh. A doctor came in and checked on him before giving him a painkiller. Jo showed up with his parents behind her. Rebecca quickly ushered out his siblings before leaving him alone with Jo and his food.

“I was worried.” His best friend sighed, sitting beside him and reaching out to squeeze his hand.

Castiel shook his head, swallowing a bite of his burger before answering.

“I’m fine. Just a little beat up.” He assured her.

She grimaced at his face that had a long cut on his forehead and a bruise on his cheek.

“I’ll be able to be out of here and back at school in a few days. It’s a good thing that I will be, before anyone spreads rumors that I’m dead.”

Jo laughed with him, her face turning to concern when he winced at the pressure on his ribs.

“Dean was worried too.,” she informed him.

His head snapped up and he looked at her with wide eyes.

“Dean?” he questioned, almost dropping his food onto his lap.

She nodded, looking sad.

“He came here but… well it was made clear that he wasn’t welcome.” Jo said, looking at her hands in her lap.

“By who?” Castiel demanded.

She looked hesitant and guilty, as if she hadn’t meant to make him angry.

“It was a stressful time. We all just got the news that you were in the accident and emotions were crazy. I’m sure he didn’t mean…”

“Who?” Castiel repeated.

“Gabriel.” Jo said in a quiet voice.

He felt anger rising in chest as his free hand clenched in the blanket. He hissed at the searing pain that it sent through his sprained wrist and let go quickly.

“Castiel?” his friend said, concerned.

He took a deep breath and put his burger onto a napkin, setting it aside.

“I’m certain he was just trying to protect you.” Jo said quickly.

Castiel nodded slowly.

“I’m sure.” He murmured before glancing up at her. “Just before I crashed I was leaving from the garage. Dean and I… we… we kissed.”

Jo’s eyes widened and her hand flashed out, smacking him in the shoulder.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” she screeched.

Castiel winced at the movement and she quickly apologized.

“Did you tell him the truth? About the party?”

He grimaced and she took that as a no.

“Castiel! You have to tell him! He deserves to know! Promise me that next time you see him, you will tell him.” Jo instructed him.

“I just need time to gather my thoughts. Dean isn’t going to be happy that I took this long to tell him. I want to do it but I need to ensure that I say it in the right way and that I know what that is going in. Just trust me when I say that I will tell him.”

Jo sighed and nodded warily.

“I just want to see you two happy again.” She admitted.

Castiel nodded as well, reaching out with his good hand to take hers.

“I want that as well.”

\----------

Dean was going crazy. He’d remained away from the hospital, mostly sated by Jo’s texts that Castiel was doing fine. But that didn’t stop him from pacing through his apartment through almost the entirety of Sunday morning. He wanted to go to the hospital to see him but at the same time, he wanted to give him and his family distance considering the reaction Gabriel had to his appearance. When a knock sounded on his door, he rushed to it, expecting Jo, Bobby, or Ellen to be on the other side. When he saw his visitor, his heart dropped as his eyes widened. The woman in front of him tucked her purse under her arm and adjusted the strap up on her shoulder as she smiled politely at him.

“Hello Dean.” Rebecca Novak said, sounding much like her son when she did. “May I come in?”

He nodded numbly, stepping back to allow her into his slightly messy apartment. Dean flushed at the state of it but when he started trying to straighten it up, she waved him off.

“There’s no need. I’ll only be here for a few minutes.” She refused. “I only wanted to talk to you about Castiel.”

Dean swallowed hard, turning back to face her.

“Ca-Cas?” he questioned, nervous at the subject.

She nodded and gave him a soft smile.

“I know that you want to see my son and I know that he also wants to see you. He is miserable in that hospital and with the news that he has to miss school tomorrow, well his mood is even sourer. My two eldest sons are in town and while they are here, I was thinking about taking my family to a nice dinner tonight. I know that Castiel would enjoy the break from the overwhelming presence of his siblings.” Rebecca explained. “We’ll be going around seven o’clock and we probably won’t be back at the hospital for several hours. I just thought you would like to know.”

Dean let out a breath he hadn’t known he’d been holding, nodding at her.

“Thank you, Mrs. Novak.”

She reached out, taking his hand and squeezing it.

“Please, Dean…” she said, her smile growing even warmer. “Call me Rebecca.”

He nodded with a smile back at her, watching as she turned and walked to the door. When she paused and turned back, he waited for her to speak.

“I knew your mother in high school.” She said ponderously.

Dean’s eyes widened in surprise at the mention of his mother. No one in town really talked about her anymore. Rebecca’s eyes lifted to look into his and he saw that they looked a bit like Castiel’s.

“Mary was a wonderful woman and I am certain that her son is just as amazing. I am so sorry that she was not around to see you because she would have been proud.” She said.

Dean felt a lump form in his throat but he swallowed it down, nodding at her.

“She would have loved Castiel, too.” He said hoarsely.

Rebecca smiled fondly.

“I think so too.” She agreed, turning to leave.

“Thank you, again.” Dean called after her.

“Just take care of my son, Dean.” The Novak matriarch said before walking out.

\----------

“You know you can go back to bed whenever you like.”

Castiel glared over his shoulder at the nurse trailing behind him.

“I’m fine.” He said through gritted teeth.

He walked along the hallway holding his head high. Luckily he was wearing a set of his own pajamas rather than the paper-thin hospital gown. His doctor told him that if he was able to walk around the perimeter of the small hospital five times without getting dizzy, he would be able to go home the next day and go back to school the day after that. He was determined to reach that goal.

“You are one stubborn boy.” Missouri commented, wheeling his IV bag along behind him.

“I’m ready to go.” Castiel replied simply.

“As if I couldn’t tell.” She sighed.

She remained patient, walking behind him with ease. Castiel was happy to find that after two and a half trips, he was doing just fine. When he rounded the corner, he stopped short when he saw the man standing in the hallway a few feet away from them talking to a doctor who was flipping through a chart.

“You need a wheelchair?” Missouri asked, sounding amused.

He shushed her and she raised her eyebrows at him. John Winchester didn’t noticed, hunched over the doctor as he paid attention to what he was saying.

“From the tests we did, I’ve concluded that you have significant scarring. It is very serious and in my opinion, we must continue the treatments. If you start feeling dizzy or nauseous, I suggest that you check yourself into the hospital right away. That could mean the illness has progressed into cirrho…” The doctor cut off when John’s head moved and he caught sight of Castiel.

They both turned to him as he blushed over being caught eavesdropping.

“I apologize.” He said quickly, moving backwards.

“Wait.” John’s voice rang out.

Castiel stopped and stared at him with wide eyes. The eldest Winchester shook hands with his doctor and nodded at him before turning to walk to him. He stood before him and Castiel wondered what he was going to say. Instead of angry or hostile, the other man looked tired. There were bags under his eyes and his skin was sickly looking.

“Are you all right?” the words slipped out of his mouth before he could help them.

He heard the words the doctor said and it was easy enough to fill in the blanks after what he’d heard. John’s eyes flickered up to Missouri.

“You mind if I take your patient to the cafeteria for a cup of coffee?” he asked.

Missouri glanced at Castiel and he nodded once. She pursed her lips and sighed

“No coffee.” She said, sliding the pole with the bags hanging from it into John’s hand, careful not to tug the needle out of Castiel’s arm. “Water or juice.”

Castiel nodded solemnly, his heart pounding loudly as he watched her walk away. He didn’t have much of a choice but to follow John when he started towards the cafeteria considering that the man was dragging his IV pole.

“What are you in for?” the older man asked curiously.

“I was in a car accident.” He explained, picking at the brace on his left wrist.

“Hmm… those aren’t any fun. Your car totaled?”

Castiel stared up at him with surprise before nodding.

“Yeah that’s what they told Dean after my accident a while ago. That boy refused to believe it and he rebuilt that hunk of metal from scratch. I taught him everything he knows but he’s become a damn good mechanic while I wasn’t looking.” John sighed, shaking his head as he held the door open to the cafeteria for him.

“Dean is a good everything.” Castiel said honestly, feeling slightly defensive of him.

John looked at him before nodding and walking over to the drink station slowly. They remained silent, the older man getting coffee and Castiel grabbing a bottle of apple juice. When they got to the cashier, he realized that he didn’t have any money but John waved him off, pulling his wallet out and paying for him.

“Thank you.” Castiel said honestly, walking to a table with him.

John shrugged, sitting down across from him.

“What all did you hear?” he asked.

Castiel considered lying to him but he found that he didn’t want to.

“Enough.” he answered simply.

“Sammy… he told me that you were wanting to be a big shot doctor. I guess you can probably figure things out from just a few words.” John said, looking up at him as he scratched at the graying scruff on his jaw

Castiel nodded simply, not denying his words. John sighed and let his hand drop, twisting it into his other hand.

“You can’t tell him.” he whispered. “Not Dean or Sam. They’ll… they don’t… I don’t want ‘em to know.”

The teenager frowned and tilted his head slightly.

“They would want to know.” He replied.

John shook his head, swallowing hard.

“Nah, they don’t. It’ll… it’ll only be more trouble for those boys. They don’t deserve anymore. Especially on account of me.” he took a deep breath. “I put them through too much.”

Castiel bit his lip as he looked up at him.

“They’ll only be angry if you keep it from them. Trust me, they’ll never forgive you if you take away their chance to be with you now.” He advised him.

John looked surprised at his words.

“I thought you hated me.” he said.

“I hated what you put Dean through.” Castiel replied. “I didn’t like seeing how your words affected him. I don’t particularly dislike you.”

“But you don’t like me.” John countered.

Castiel stared back at him, raising an eyebrow at him.

“Do you like me?” he shot back.

There was a moment of silence before the older male let out a guffaw.

“Bobby and Ellen were right. You are a firecracker.” He said, lifting his coffee to sip at it.

Castiel flushed and shrugged.

“I guess you can’t be good friends with Jo without being able to hold your own.” John acknowledged.

He let out a short laugh, nodding in agreement.

“She does keep me busy. Between her and Dean and my family, I have no time to really think. Not that I mind.” He admitted, the last sentence spoke in a fond manner.

John stared at him, his eyes full of curiosity.

“Do you love my boy?” he asked.

Castiel was taken aback by the question. His mouth opened and closed several times as he searched for an answer. John nodded as if he knew already.

“You’ll take care of him, right? You’ll make sure he’s happy?” Dean’s father asked.

The dark-haired teenager looked at him with wide eyes.

“There are treatments. You can do several things to avoid this going any further.” He said.

John gave him an exhausted look, raising an eyebrow at him.

“With my past… my problems… there’s just prolonging the inevitable and that road has a lot of pain on it.” he said.

Castiel couldn’t deny that, knowing that John’s problems with alcohol abuse would do him no favors at this point.

“You didn’t answer my question.” John said.

He looked up at him.

“You’ll take care of Dean?” he questioned.

Castiel took a deep breath, his hands trembling as his heart thumped in his chest.

“As long as he lets me.” He agreed.

\----------

Castiel was sitting in his bed watching a historical documentary when a light knock sounded on his door. Tessa, another nurse, peeked her head in.

“You okay for a visitor, Castiel?” she asked, smiling at him.

He nodded, wondering who could be there. She peeked over her shoulder and nodded at the mystery person before stepping outside of the door. When the visitor walked in, he immediately straightened up and gasped when his ribs protested at the sudden movement. Dean noticed the flicker of pain across his face and he immediately rushed forward.

“Cas? You okay?” he asked, looking concerned.

“I’m fine.” He said, nodding as he moved more slowly, straightening himself up against the pillows.

Dean looked relieved before studying his slightly battered face.

“You know, I wish you’d stop getting all bruised up.” He sighed.

Castiel spared a small smile at his words.

“I’ll work on it.” he promised.

Dean sat next to the bed in a chair, leaning forward onto the bed.

“How did you know to come? I know that my family has been less than welcoming so you’ve probably been avoiding the place while they’ve been here.”

The older male looked up at him.

“Your mother told me when they would be going to dinner. I was able to sneak in.” Dean admitted.

Castiel smiled slightly, warmth filling him as he reminded himself to thank his mother later.

“Thank you for coming.” He said.

Dean nodded before glancing around.

“So when do you get out of here?” he questioned.

“Tomorrow morning.” Cas answered. “I’ll be back at school on Tuesday.”

“Good.” The mechanic nodded before looking back at him. “I don’t want you to miss any more than you have to.”

Castiel stared into his eyes and saw a hint of guilt in them.

“Dean… my accident… it wasn’t your fault.” He said.

Dean sighed and looked down at his hands, cursing that the teenager could somehow tell what he was thinking.

“I shouldn’t have let you go, Cas. If I’d held you back and talked about everything with you, you wouldn’t be here.” He said.

Castiel frowned at him.

“Dean you cannot continue to blame yourself for everything. My accident was not your fault.” He said.

The teacher looked up at him and nodded, clenching his jaw.

“I tried to call you. I wanted to… I wanted to say that I wanted to do it to. I want to fight, Cas. I’ve hated these past two months. They’ve been miserable.” He admitted.

Castiel felt his heart leap and he immediately reached out to grasp his hand. He was going to tell him the truth.

“Dean, I…”

Suddenly the door slammed open and Jo ran in, a panicked look on her face.

“Code red!” she exclaimed, seizing Dean’s shoulder. “The restaurant that your family was going to had a small fire in the kitchen and closed down for the night. They’re on their way back here and should be here any second.”

Dean jumped up and gave Cas an apologetic look.

“Sorry.” He said.

“It’s okay. I’ll see you Tuesday.” Castiel said, looking up at him with bright eyes.

Dean gave him a soft smile before allowing himself to be dragged out by Jo. Castiel was suddenly left alone. He had no way of knowing how his best friend knew to come in and get Dean out before another confrontation happened but he would have to thank her extensively for it.

\----------

His Monday was miserable despite the fact that his mother and sister waited on him hand and foot, ensuring that he didn’t have to get out of bed except to go to the bathroom. When Tuesday rolled around, Castiel was filled with relief. Anna drove him to school, asking him the entire way whether or not he was really sure about returning.

“I’ll be fine.” He assured her.

“Just take it easy. If you need to come home, tell the school and they’ll call Mom.” Anna instructed as she slowed to a stop.

“I will.” Castiel sighed, picking up his bag to hoist over his shoulder.

A slow smile crept across her face.

“How many of them think you’re dead, do you wonder?” she asked.

Castiel huffed out a laugh and turned to face the population of his high school that were gaping at his sister’s Porsche.

“At least half of them.” he said.

Anna laughed as he climbed out and waved at him before she pulled off. Jo immediately met him, slipping her arm through his uninjured one.

“How are you feeling?” she asked with concern.

“I’m fine.” He said for the thousandth time, looking over at her with a smile. “I’m glad to be back.”

She grinned up at him, reaching up to ruffle his already messy hair.

“I missed you, Novak.” She said.

“You too, Harvelle.” He replied.

The rest of their group fell into step with them, all chatting about one thing or another. Castiel felt comfortable, like everything might be going back to normal. So of course, something else had to happen to ruin the peace.

\----------

They were sitting comfortably at lunch all chatting as they ate. Castiel was squished between Jo and Samandriel, who had joined their lunch group as soon as he reunited with them. He had been unwilling to leave his newer friend behind and the group quickly took him in, all of them open and friendly with him. Samandriel was thankful for it, always cheery and open as he sat with them and talked to everyone. For the entire day, people had been tripping over themselves to make it all up to Castiel, apologizing for his accident and encouraging him to get better. As they ate, Jo’s eyes suddenly lifted out of nowhere and tracked another person as they walked across the cafeteria. Castiel noticed as well and turned to see her watching Meg. When he saw that she was heading straight for Principal Crowley who was discussing something with Miss Talbot, his blood ran cold for some reason.

“What’s going on, Jo?” he asked.

She looked at him with a hesitant look.

“Just wait.” She whispered.

Meg suddenly tapped the principal on the shoulder and he turned to face her with a raised eyebrow.

“Yes, Miss Masters?” he asked.

When she spoke, her voice was loud enough to echo around the cafeteria, silencing everyone’s conversation.

“I have to talk to you about a certain student.” She said.

Crowley looked exasperated.

“I am on my break and trying to enjoy a conversation, Miss Masters. Is this absolutely necessary right now?” he asked.

“I’m afraid it is, Principal Crowley. This is a matter of truancy.” Meg said solemnly.

He took a deep breath and turned completely away from Bela.

“Miss Masters I would think hard about what you are about to say. These are serious accusations.” He warned.

“I know. It’s a serious offense.” She said, turning away from him.

Her eyes fixed straight on Castiel and narrowed as a smirk formed on her face.

“I happen to know for a fact that Castiel Novak skipped every auto shop class for a month just like I know Mr. Winchester, because of his preference for Castiel, didn’t mark him absent even once. It’s against the rules for both of them to do that I knew that you had to know.” She said, looking triumphant before she turned to face him.

Castiel’s eyes widened and his breath caught in his throat. Jo reached down and took his free hand, squeezing it comfortingly as his friends all leaned in closer. They wanted to surround him protectively but they remained where they were. Crowley’s eyes tracked over him before he sighed and turned to stare at Meg.

“Mr. Roche. Miss Harvelle.” He said, taking everyone by surprise.

Everyone’s heads turned as Balthazar and Jo stood up and casually walked over to them.

“Mr. Crowley.” They greeted him before turning a hard gaze on Meg.

“This is what you were referring to when you came to me, yes?” he asked.

“It is.” Balthazar sighed as Jo nodded.

Meg stared between the other two teenagers, her eyes narrowed.

“What’s going on?” she asked.

“Bullying, Miss Masters. That is what is going on. This is not the first time Mr. Novak has been targeted and frankly I’m a bit tired of seeing any bullying in my school at all.” Crowley said.

Castiel stared at them in shock as Jo grinned and winked at him.

“I think that you’re going to have to come with me.” Crowley said, staring at Meg before turning to walk out.

“What the hell?” Meg demanded.

The principal turned back to her with an exasperated expression.

“Mr. Roche and Miss Harvelle came to me several weeks ago with concerns about your targeting of Mr. Novak.” He said simply.

“It’s true. She’s been obsessed with him for months. I’ve seen it and I’m certain that others have as well. Recently she even spread a false rumor about my friend.” Jo nodded.

Balthazar murmured in agreement as Castiel’s eyes widened and he half-stood.

“She spread around that Cassie and I had an intimate experience at a party when that is so very untrue. If it were, believe me, I would own up to it.”

Meg looked furious, glaring at him.

“It’s true! Everyone knows it!” she screeched.

“No, everyone thinks that it happened because you told them. You spread the rumor around. Castiel didn’t sleep with Balthazar, you can ask him yourself.” Jo accused her.

Castiel suddenly knew what they were doing. Balthazar’s offer of discrediting the person who spread the rumor popped in his head and he realized that’s exactly what they were doing.

“It’s true!” a voice rang out.

Rachel Harris, a cheerleader, stood up with a raised head.

“I heard about the party from Meg.” She claimed.

“So did I.” Inias, the quarterback, said as he stood as well.

“Me too.” Another several voices said as they stood.

“She told everyone!” another person called out.

Crowley looked around with raised eyebrows before looking back at her.

“Well, Miss Masters, it would seem that you are outmatched.” He said. “Is there anything you say that is the truth?”

Meg looked lost for words. Her head swiveled around and she glared at Castiel as if everything was his fault. Suddenly Pamela and Charlie were standing in front of him protectively.

“I do not tolerate bullying and unless you want this to turn into anything, you should come with me.” Crowley said.

“But what about the truancy?” she demanded, stopping him.

Crowley sighed.

“Unless another person in this auto shop class comes forward and admits to Mr. Novak being absent from so many classes, I’m afraid I cannot trust that you are telling the truth about this.” he said. “Come.”

Meg looked completely defeated yet angry, following him closely out of the cafeteria as everyone watched him. Castiel’s friends were suddenly surrounding him as the entire cafeteria buzzed with what just happened. When his eyes lifted and met Dean’s over the crowd, seeing him standing by the lunch line with a tray in his hand. His face was shocked and alarmed as he slowly processed everything, realizing that he had everything wrong over the past two months. Castiel’s mouth went dry and he was suddenly afraid that Dean would be angry with him for how he found out.

“Are you all right?” Charlie questioned, noticing his ashen face.

“No I’m… I’m fine.” He said, sitting down and rubbing at his sore ribs.

Jo was sitting by him within moments, hugging him as he tried to process everything. His eye caught Balthazar’s and he saw the blonde teenager wink before he returned to his own table.

\----------

Castiel didn’t know where to go during his free period. After what happened at lunch, he wasn’t sure that he was welcome in Dean’s garage until class. When he found himself in the school office, he was immediately allowed into Crowley’s office.

“I thought you would come by.” The principal said, glancing up at him.

Castiel swallowed hard before sinking into a chair.

“My conscience led me here.” He admitted. “I could not let the truth be outweighed by what happened in the cafeteria.”

Crowley sighed and sat back.

“The original accusation of my lack of attendance…” he began.

“I don’t want to hear it.” the other man interrupted him.

Castiel looked up at him with surprise.

“If you were any less of a student, I would take it seriously. Since it’s you, I understand that you learned from your mistakes. Your accuser, however, has not. So I do not think that I need to focus on you.”

He stared at the older man strangely.

“You’re just going to let me off?” he asked.

Crowley smirked at him.

“That Masters girl has been bothering me for years. As far as I’m concerned, you deserve a party.” He said.

Castiel didn’t really know how to respond.

“Thank you, Mr. Crowley.” He said.

The principal nodded at him as he stood.

“Thank you, Mr. Novak.” He replied.

\----------

The entire class period of auto shop was high strung. Castiel couldn’t keep his eyes off of Dean and the other man was the same. Jo had to keep nudging him because they were gaining attention. He couldn’t do certain things on account of his sprained wrist but he could do some stuff. As the class grew nearer and nearer to ending, his heart rate went higher and his hands began shaking. When the others began emptying out, he remained behind. His sister knew not to pick him up. Suddenly they were alone, Castiel hovering by his car and Dean doing the same by his desk. After several moments of silence, their eyes met.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” they both said at the same time.

There was silence in the room. Castiel suddenly started forward.

“You kept me from being marked absent?” he asked.

Dean shrugged, looking down.

“I didn’t want to get you in trouble.” He said, taking a deep breath before glancing up at him. “You didn’t tell me that you never slept with Balthazar?”

Castiel hesitated and took a deep breath.

“I… I thought… you deserved to be angry with me. After everything that I did and said to you, I deserved to be disliked. I deserved to be tormented.”

Dean shook his head and moved around the desk.

“You’re supposed to be smart, you fucking…” he cut himself off, yanking Castiel into him and pressing a bruising kiss to his lips.

The teenager ignored the throb of pain in his torso, wrapping his arms around Dean’s neck and pushing back desperately, seeing even more contact. When Dean shoved him to the desk and he slid up onto it, his legs wrapped around the other man’s hips. Dean’s lips trailed over his throat and drew mewling gasps out of him. Castiel felt his body reacting immediately as he clutched at the other man, pulling him even closer.

“Dean…” he whispered, hating that he had to interrupt him. “We can’t… we can’t do this… here.”

Dean let out a groan and drew away, staring into his eyes with a darkened gaze.

“My car. Now.” He demanded.

Castiel nodded, not even caring that someone might see them leaving together. Dean didn’t either, at this point. They both threw on their jackets and practically bursted out of the door. The parking lot was mostly empty by the time they got to his car. Castiel didn’t even bother to duck as they drove through town. They reached his apartment and Dean grasped his hand, pulling him up to the door almost at a run. As soon as they got inside, their lips were sealed together once more. They stumbled back towards the bedroom once Dean locked the door.

The older male was careful with him, pulling his shirt over his head gently before he pushed him through the bedroom door. Castiel collapsed back onto the bed and Dean carefully climbed over him, trailing his lips up his stomach as the dark-haired writhed underneath him. His hands buried in Dean’s hair and he lifted him up, nibbling on his lips as he yanked Dean’s clothing off. The other man did the same, pulling his pants off. Castiel’s legs wrapped around his hips and he pulled him in closer, turning them over carefully as he rocked against him.

In their boxers, their erections were only covered by a thin piece of cloth. The heat passed between them as they both gasped with the intensity of their need. When Dean desperately yanked on the waistband of his boxers, Castiel maneuvered to allow him to slip them off. They flipped over once more and the older male was kissing down his torso once more. His lips closed over the tip and his tongue encircled it, tasting his pre-come as Castiel writhed and bucked beneath him, throwing his head back in pleasure. His hand reached over his shoulder, desperately reaching back for the bedside table and pulling out the lubricant in the drawer.

Dean sank lower, hollowing out his cheeks as he pulled more of his cock into his mouth. He let out a low whine and slid his hands into Dean’s hair, only stroking it rather than pushing him down. When Dean encouraged him to spread his legs, Castiel helpfully pressed the bottle into his hair. Dean pulled away, grinning up at him with sparkling eyes as he popped it open. When his finger encircled his hole, Castiel gasped and clenched his hands in the blankets. When he pushed past the ring of muscle, Dean bit his lip and groaned at the feeling of him clenching down.

It didn’t take long to prep him. Castiel was eager and relaxed, grinding down on his hand. Dean quickly had three fingers within him and was stroking his prostate relentlessly as he squirmed and sobbed against the bed. Just as he began to see white spots in his vision, his hand pulled away and he was left disappointingly empty. As soon as he recovered slightly, Castiel pushed up and kissed him deeply, turning them over once more. Dean lifted his hips as Castiel yanked them off, leaving them both naked. Dean stared up at him, watching as he lifted himself up to position the tip of his cock at his entrance.

They both gasped and let out groans as he very slowly sank down. The stretch and burn of being filled again after so long made Castiel’s entire body fill with electric warmth. Dean gripped his hips and guided him as he finally slid all the way down, his hands balancing himself on Dean’s chest. Cas stared into the bright green eyes of his lover as he began rocking back and forth. They didn’t share erotic moans or sexy words. They remained mostly silent besides light gasps and escaped whines at the pleasure they were feeling. All of their communication was shared through eye contact. Dean’s hand slid up his arm and shoulder before tangling in his hair.

Castiel dug his fingers into his chest and turned his head slightly, pressing a kiss into his palm before bending down to lay his lips on Dean’s. They poured their emotions into the joining of their bodies, moving in sync as they desperately tried to be even closer. Gently, Dean moved them around so that he was hovering over Cas. He pulled out momentarily, turning him onto his side. Castiel leaned back against Dean’s chest, lifting one leg and placing it behind Dean’s legs as he pushed back into his body. His head turned and their lips met once more. Dean’s hand went around his hips and wrapped around his cock, pumping it in sync with his thrusts.

Castiel was helpless in that position, unable to push back against his cock or forward into his hand. He was just able to lay there and kiss him senseless, his hand reaching back to grip Dean’s hip tightly as he pressed back into him as much as he could. When Dean turned over and had him laying on him, Castiel let his legs fall apart as wide as they could. His hands went to the bed and he pushed up slightly, giving the other man room to thrust up into him. Dean hit his prostate each time his cock slid into him. Castiel’s head was thrown back as he sobbed and breathed heavily at the feeling of pleasure rushing through him.

Dean’s hands gripped his hips tightly and, as he began speeding up and thrusting harder, Castiel knew that he was close. His own hand went to his erection and he pumped it desperately. When his stomach coiled tightly and his body tensed up, he knew that he was very close. His eyes squeezed shut as his walls clenched down on Dean. Liquid spilled out onto his hand as Dean turned them over once more. Moments later, warm come spilled inside of him as Dean pressed wet, open-mouthed kisses to his shoulder blades and neck. He thrusted into Castiel until he was too sensitive, finally withdrawing and collapsing backwards.

Castiel reached out, grasping his shirt and quickly wiping his hand on it before tossing it away. When he turned over, Dean was pulling the blankets down. They slid underneath them and tangled their bodies together. Castiel’s head was tucked underneath Dean’s chin and his arms were trapped between them, pressed between his chest and Dean’s torso. The older male ran his fingers down Castiel’s spine as they basked in the afterglow of their passion.

“God I’ve missed that so much.” Dean sighed, leaning down to press his lips into Castiel’s hair.

He considered everything for a few moments and felt an emotion rising his chest that he could not control. When Castiel sat up, Dean stared up at him with surprise.

“Dean…” he said, stroking his cheek with one hand. “I-I…”

Castiel shook his head, trying to force the words out of his mouth. He was terrified of saying them. Dean sensed what was about to happen and he sat up as well with a wide-eyed expression.

“Cas…” he began with wide eyes.

“I love you.” the teenager rushed out, looking at him with equally wide eyes as if he was genuinely surprised that he managed. “I… love you.”

Several moments passed without a reaction. Suddenly, a smile bloomed across Dean’s face and he reached up to entwine their hands together.

“Cas…” he whispered again, staring at him with sparkling eyes. “I… I love you too.”

Castiel beamed at him, suddenly feeling like everything was slotting back into place. He leaned in to kiss him passionately, pouring all of his love into their embrace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told you it would be better! I hope you liked it! I actually am very satisfied with this chapter. It’s better than the last few, in my opinion. It’s nice and fluffy right now but their troubles aren’t over. I can promise you that nothing else is going to get in between them like this. They just have more to deal with. In the next chapter, Dean gets to see Castiel’s family and Castiel tells Dean about John. 
> 
> Sorry if John seemed out of character this chapter. It's sort of a whole, he's faced with his own mortality, thing. He's different. Also, Gabriel isn't going to get away with his treatment of Dean this chapter. Castiel has not let it go.


	27. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel tells Dean about what he witnessed at the hospital. Dean tries to handle it, saying he may need Cas for when he has to talk to his father. He comes to a dinner at Castiel’s house with his family. Both of them are surprised when the evening is not a complete disaster. When they go to Bobby’s house, they get a devastating shock.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a few days after the last chapter, on the weekend, just to give you some time lapse. This chapter isn’t going to be as long but the next one will be. It will be sad but, like I said, for a different reason. This does not directly threaten Dean and Cas and their relationship but it will affect it for a while. Sam and Jess come back in the next chapter and a new face/old friend is introduced that will give Castiel a small wake up call when it comes to Dean.
> 
> I am so sorry for the lack of updates lately. My grandfather died a little less than a week ago and I’ve been dealing with family stuff and the funeral was Thursday. I hope to get back to regular updates until the story is over, which is not long from now! I know, I’m as sad as you are. Unfortuantely, I can’t keep this story going forever.

Castiel woke up slowly, his mind pulling out of the fuzziness of sleep. The first physical thing he became aware of was a body thrown over his. Dean’s arm was lying over his hip, his hand pressed into the soft skin of his stomach. The other was underneath him, pulling him back into his chest. His face was pressed into Castiel’s hair and he could feel the gentle rise and fall of his chest behind him. The teenager let out a sigh, stretching out his legs where they were tangled with Dean’s. His movement roused the other male, causing him to let out a sigh and pull him in tighter. Cas smiled slightly, his hands coming up to lay over both of his.

“I know you’re awake.” He murmured.

There was no response for several moments.

“Not yet.” Dean groaned sleepily.

He laughed quietly and turned over slowly, moving with difficulty before he was facing Dean. His eyes fluttered open slowly and met his.

“Good morning.” Castiel whispered.

Dean simply smiled, leaning in to press their lips together gently. When he drew away, he suddenly looked concerned as if he remembered something.

“Did I hurt you?” he asked, pulling away to look down his still bruised body.

Castiel shook his head, lifting Dean’s chin.

“I’m fine.”

At his doubtful look, Cas sighed and slid his hand over Dean’s cheek.

“I’m better than fine. I’m perfect now. Things are getting back to normal and we… well we had great sex.”

Dean’s face softened slightly and the corners of his mouth lifted upwards.

“I love you and I am feeling very happy right now. I’m not going to lie to you and say that I’m not in pain but I was in a car accident the other day. It has nothing to do with you. Stop worrying about me.” he sighed.

After several moments, the mechanic nodded slowly and reached down, lacing their fingers together.

“When Jo came to me, she was crying. I thought you might…” he cut off, his voice breaking. “I thought you might have been dead.”

Castiel shook his head.

“I’m not going anywhere, Dean.” He reassured him.

The other man huffed, nodding as he looked down. The dark-haired male looked at him, knowing that Dean didn’t know whether to believe him or not.

“I don’t know if I can know that for sure. I mean, people say that sometimes and… they go anyway. My mom died. It wasn’t her fault but she’s still gone. Dad always leaves. He disappears for months at a time and he’s never apologetic about it. Sammy… he went off to college. It was what he was supposed to do but I don’t think he could have gone much further than he did. I’m happy for him with how good he’s doing at Stanford and what’s going on with him and Jess but he hightailed it out as soon as he could. Lisa left me for another guy in a biker bar back in high school.” Dean explained.

Castiel sighed and leaned in, pressing his lips to Dean’s forehead.

“You can’t get rid of me that easily. I’m in as long as you want me.” he said quietly, stroking Dean’s short hair.

“Don’t say that unless you mean it, Cas.” Dean mumbled. “I want to believe it but…”

Castiel drew away, looking him in the eyes.

“I’ll just have to prove it to you.” he decided.

Dean looked surprised at what he was saying but also relieved that he was saying it.

“I love you, Dean. That is why I am intent on sticking around.” Castiel said, stroking his cheek with his thumb. “That’s also why I have to tell you something. I don’t want there to be anymore secrets between us and this one is already weighing on my shoulders. I wanted to tell you at the hospital but you were hurried out.”

Dean frowned at him, tilting his head to the side slightly.

“I can’t handle this anymore, Cas. I don’t want anymore things to come out that might screw things up.” He said warily.

“You need to know this.” Castiel replied without anymore room for argument in his voice.

The mechanic sighed, nodding as he steeled himself for whatever news he had.

“When I was in the hospital, your father was there.” he said quietly, looking down at their hands that were joined together. “He was speaking to a doctor and…”

Dean looked at him with a furrowed brow, not expecting where this was going.

“He’s sick, Dean. He’s… very sick. He knows that I heard and he asked me not to tell you but… I could not live with keeping anything more from you. Especially not something of this magnitude.” Castiel explained.

Several moments passed and Dean pulled away, sitting up to drag his hands down his face.

“Dean? I-I’m sorry.” Castiel said, sitting up and hesitantly reaching out.

He drew his hand back when Dean let out a scoff. The other man looked up at him, shaking his head.

“It’s not your fault, Cas.” He said quietly.

“You aren’t angry with me?” Castiel questioned in a small voice.

Dean shook his head, reaching up to put his hand on his cheek.

“I’m grateful. If it weren’t… my dad may never have told me so I’m glad you’re being honest. Thank you, Cas.” He said.

Castiel looked at him with a hesitant look.

“You’re going to go talk to him? Your father?” He asked.

Dean nodded, looking away.

“I have to. I need to figure out what’s going on and how to help him.”

Castiel sighed and slid his hand over Dean’s bare back, leaning forward to kiss the back of his shoulder.

“I’ll be there with you, if you want me there. You don’t have to do this alone.” He assured him.

Dean glanced over at him, a soft look on his face.

“Thanks, Cas.” He murmured. “I do… want you there.”

He nodded.

“Then I’ll be there.”

\----------

Castiel sighed heavily as they pulled up to his house. He looked over at Dean and gave him a soft smile.

“I’m going to talk to Sam about it before I go to Dad. He’ll want to know everything and I want to discuss it with him before I do anything else.”

He nodded, realizing that Dean was right in choosing to speak to his brother.

“Just let me know what you want me to do.” He said, reaching out to squeeze his hand.

Dean nodded, smiling at him as he leaned in to kiss him. Before their lips could meet, a tapping sounded on the window. They both jumped, looking around to see Castiel’s siblings at the window. Gabriel raised an eyebrow at them, gesturing to the window.

“You don’t…” Castiel began.

Dean was rolling down the window before he could say another word.

“Well look what we have here. You two look awful cozy.” Gabriel said, leaning over with his arms crossed on the door.

“Gabriel.” Castiel sighed, his cheeks reddening as he felt his embarrassment growing.

He was terrified they were going to say or do something to Dean. They hadn’t been huge fans of his over the past few months.

“We’re inviting you to dinner.” Michael said.

“On behalf of our mother and father.” Anna finished, smiling at them.

Dean and Castiel both looked at them with surprise. The older male turned to him, his green eyes wide. Castiel shrugged, looking uncertain.

“Yeah I’ll go.” Dean finally agreed. “For you.”

He nodded at Castiel and the teenager couldn’t help but let a smile take over his face. Behind Dean, Anna let out a soft ‘aww’ and put her hand on her chest.

“That is so cute.” She whispered.

Michael, Lucifer, and Gabriel gave her looks and she shrugged, gesturing to Dean and Castiel who were still looking into each other’s eyes.

“They’re adorable! It’s not my fault!” she said defensively.

\----------

“Do you know what’s going on?” Sam asked, sounding concerned.

“Cas says it’s something to do with his liver. Three guesses as to how that got poisoned.” Dean sighed, perusing the aisles of the liquor store.

His little brother sighed and Dean could almost see the exhausted look on his face.

“Do you want me to come down? Be there when you talk to him?” Sam questioned.

“Nah. You’ve taken enough of school off. Jess’ll kill you if you miss anymore.” Dean replied, picking up a bottle of wine and inspecting it.

Sam made a noise of agreement before a few moments of silence passed.

“Just let me know if you need me for anything.” He said.

“I will.” Dean agreed, moving into another aisle.

“What are you up to?”

He let out a sigh and rubbed his forehead with his eyes squeezing shut.

“I’m going to a dinner at Castiel’s house. His whole family’ll be there and I’m grabbing a bottle of wine.” he answered.

Sam let out a laugh.

“Dinner with the family. That’s a big step, Dean. I don’t think you’ve gone that far in years.”

“Shut up, bitch.” He shot back.

“Jerk.” Sam replied easily. “Get a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. That’s what I got when I went to dinner with Jess’ parents.”

Dean let out a sigh and searched it out, picking an appropriately aged bottle.

“You’re a life saver, Sammy.” He said, carrying it to the counter.

“No problem. Good luck at your dinner. I’m sure Cas’ll protect you from harm.” His brother said.

“I’m up against three older brothers, Sam. Not to mention the redheaded sister. I’m lucky if I get out of this with my family jewels intact.” Dean sighed, shaking his head with a sigh as he pulled out money to pay for the wine.

All he got in reply was a laugh.

\----------

Castiel tapped his foot repetitively. His mother was standing next across the kitchen stirring the gravy in the pot on the stove.

“Calm down, Castiel. Everything will be fine.” Rebecca reassured him.

He looked over at her doubtfully.

“You understand why I don’t think that’s true?” he replied.

She gave him a soft smile.

“They’ll be on their best behavior. I’ll ensure it.” his mother promised him.

Castiel sighed, shaking his head.

“Why can’t I at least get the door? They’re going to ambush him.” he complained.

Rebecca walked over, leaning up to kiss his cheek.

“Part of the deal, darling.” She said with a smile.

He let out a cross between a whimper and a sigh before dropping his head.

\----------

Once Dean came in, Castiel had to keep himself from rescuing him from his father who answered the door. When he was finally allowed into the living room, Cas went to his side and breathed a sigh of relief.

“I am so sorry in advance for whatever trauma this dinner might bring.” He muttered to Dean.

“Maybe it won’t be so bad.” Dean replied in a hushed voice.

Castiel simply gave him a grim look with a pale face. Dean swallowed hard, expecting that the evening would not be an easy one. They all sat down a few minutes later, the food laid out before them

“This looks wonderful, Mrs. Novak.” Dean complimented his mother.

Rebecca beamed at him, reminding him of Castiel when he was happy to hear something.

“Thank you, Dean. And please, call me Rebecca. Mrs. Novak makes me feel so old.” She requested.

He nodded.

“This is excellent wine, Dean.” Chuck complimented him as he sipped at it. “Do you often drink it?”

Dean shook his head, not one to lie for the sake of making himself look better.

“No, I’m more of a whiskey person myself. My brother is good at it and he said this one was a good one.” He answered.

Castiel’s father nodded, impressed at his honesty.

“Well thank you for bringing it. And send our regards to your brother for his excellent taste.” Chuck said, smiling at him.

“Sam will love to hear it.” Dean said, grinning back.

Castiel was relaxing slightly until Lucifer decided to speak up.

“So I suppose we have you to thank for our brother’s sudden pop culture knowledge? Because before he couldn’t have named five bands from the seventies and now he knows the members of Led Zeppelin and AC/DC.” He said.

Dean looked over at Cas with a surprised and proud look.

“He picks up on stuff fast. It doesn’t take a lot of teaching.” He said simply.

“What is your favorite Zep song?” Lucifer questioned.

Castiel sighed as Dean looked at him.

“Ramble On.” he answered.

Lucifer nodded as if he’d answered correctly.

“That’s enough interrogating.” Chuck broke in, smiling slightly. “Let’s change the subject before we give Castiel here an aneurism.”

Everyone else laughed as Dean reached down and squeezed his leg lightly.

“What made you go into teaching, Dean?” Rebecca asked.

Dean launched into the story and Castiel slowly relaxed more and more as the night went on. His siblings were slowly charmed by Dean as were his parents. When it drew to a close as Rebecca and Castiel gathered the dessert plates, his mother leaned into his ear as they placed them in the sink.

“You and Dean should go out in a few minutes. I know you’ll both be relieved to have a few minutes by yourself.” She whispered.

“Thank you, mother.” Castiel replied with a sigh of relief, squeezing her shoulder before returning to the dining room.

“Dean and I are going to head out for a while.” He announced, pulling him up.

“By everyone.” Dean said, shaking Chuck’s hand and kissing Rebecca’s cheek. “Dinner was lovely.”

“You’ll have to come again. I’ll make my famous lasagna.” Castiel’s mother said, grinning at him.

“I look forward to it.” Dean nodded, willingly following Castiel out.

By the time they got into his Impala, Castiel took a deep breath and slumped down as if he was releasing a night full of stress.

“It could have gone much worse.” Dean reminded him, starting his car with a loud growl of the engine.

Castiel looked over at him before smiling widely and squeezing his hand.

“They adored you.” he said happily.

Dean grinned back and pulled him in, pressing a long kiss to his lips.

“I love you.” he said simply.

“I love you, too.” Castiel breathed, looking thrilled to be with him at the moment.

\----------

After several minutes of driving, they ended up in a familiar place. Dean grabbed a blanket that was rumpled in his backseat and they hiked through the trees until they came to the bank of the river. Castiel sat on a boulder first and Dean took a seat next to him. He pulled the large blanket around their shoulders and Castiel huddled close to him to keep in the warmth.

“Hey…” Dean nudged him and pointed out at the rushing, dark waters.

They both laughed at the lack of a log bridge, remembering the fateful date when they accidentally broke it into several pieces.

“Let’s not try for a repeat performance… ever.” Castiel said, laughter in his eyes.

Dean nodded in eager agreement.

“I think it’s best for both of our safety.” He said.

They laughed once again before squeezing together and basking in the glow of their renewed relationship.

\----------

“Is Bobby sure he’s here?” Dean wondered, glancing around as they stood at the house.

“He said that it’s his day off.” Castiel replied, his hands shoved in his pants pockets.

They were hunting for John, trying to find him. He wasn’t at work so the only logical place he could be was Bobby’s home.

“Well he has no car and Bobby makes sure that he’s not tempted by any clunkers hanging around.” Dean said, knocking on the door several more times.

There was still no answer, leaving confusion on both of their faces.

“Maybe he’s passed out drunk.” Dean muttered, sounding as though he wouldn’t be surprised.

“I do not think that he is. He sounded serious when he said that he was done drinking.” Castiel said, wanting it to be true.

Dean simply shrugged, banging his fist on the door.

“It won’t be the first time he’s gone back on that.” he said.

Finally, they got the door open and walked in, wondering why most of the lights in the house were turned off.

“Dad?” Dean called.

There was no answer.

“Mr. Winchester?” Castiel said, glancing into the kitchen.

Suddenly he heard a shout of panic and he followed the sound, running into the living room. Dean was knelt over John’s form. He was collapsed on the ground, a stream of blood coming out of his nose and a paleness to his form.

“Call an ambulance!” the mechanic said, looking up at him with wide eyes.

Castiel ripped his phone out and quickly dialed 911 with trembling fingers. Once he explained the situation and gave them the address, he dropped the phone and fell on his knees next to Dean.

“He’s not breathing.” Dean cried, his voice torn apart by panic as tears fell down his cheeks. “Cas I can’t find a pulse.”

Castiel looked up at his lover with wide eyes before his mind snapped into action. He brushed Dean’s hands away and turned John over, tilting his head back and opening his airway before he bent over and pushed air into his lungs. Dean sat back, watching as he performed CPR. In his head, Castiel repeated the same prayer over and over again. Please let him live. For Dean. Please let him live. For Dean.

“Come on!” Dean sobbed, his hands clutching as his father desperately.

Castiel’s muscles were fatiguing and his own lungs were protesting against expelling air but he ignored it all, forcing himself to continue. Just as he felt a flutter beneath his hands and heard a small intake of air, he felt like passing out himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you are looking for another Destiel story to read, I just started one set in the canon verse called ‘The Shadow of Death’. I would love for you to check it out! Thank you for being so amazing!


	28. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone deals with the aftermath of John’s collapse and they receive terrible news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who is reading and reviewing this story! You are all amazing!
> 
> I am so so so so sorry for the lack of updates. My life has been insane. I’ve been packing and moving for the past month so that’s why the lack of updates. I love you and and I am so sorry again.
> 
> This chapter is going to be emotional and there is going to be sadness. There will be some major hurt/comfort in the next few chapters, just to let you know. It all happens a little fast simply because I want to get somewhere by the end of the this chapter so that it doesn’t drag out into another.

It was chaotic. John started breathing but he didn’t wake up, remaining unconscious as they anxiously waited for the ambulance to arrive. As soon Castiel allowed them in the door, Dean was demanding to know what happened to his father.

“Why did he collapse?” he questioned, watching anxiously as they checked his vital signs.

“We can’t know that for sure until he gets to the hospital.” One of the paramedics answered, lifting John’s eyelid up to shine a light in his eye.

“Cas had to do CPR for a while… ten minutes I think. Could there be damage from that?” Dean asked.

“They’ll test him as soon as we get him there.” the other EMS worker said, dragging in a gurney.

Dean shook his head and rubbed his jaw nervously as they loaded his father onto the rolling bed.

“You can ride with us if you like.” one of them offered.

He nodded, pulling his keys out of his pocket. Castiel watched with surprise as he handed them over.

“Follow us?” Dean said in a quiet voice, looking at him with pleading eyes.

Cas reached out, taking the key ring and holding it tightly in his still trembling hands.

“I’ll be right behind you.” he nodded.

Dean looked relieved, putting a hand on his cheek for a moment before he chased the paramedics out. Castiel watched as he climbed into the ambulance and sat beside his father with a devastated expression. As soon as they pulled out, he was heading for the black car. Once he slid into the seat, he took a deep breath and tried to steady his shaking. He’d known how to do CPR for a few years now but he’d never had to do it on someone before. It didn’t make it better that his first real experience was on his lover’s father. Carefully, he maneuvered the car out and drove the route to the hospital. Once he pulled up, he stopped the Impala and pulled his phone out to make a few calls.

\----------

As soon as Dean walked out, Castiel looked up from where he was sitting in an uncomfortable waiting room chair. He stood, watching as the other man walked to him.

“What’s going on?” Cas asked in a wary voice.

“They’re doing tests on him now.” Dean said in a low voice, looking down at his hands. “They think it might be the beginning stages of liver failure considering his history.”

Castiel pressed his lips together, cursing inwardly. That diagnosis was exactly what he’d been afraid of.

“I’m so sorry, Dean.” He said, his voice broken and quiet. “If I… if I only told you earlier or… made you see him earlier… if I tried…”

The mechanic looked up at him with a furrowed brow before reaching out. He wrapped one hand around the back of his head and the other around his back, pulling him into his chest. Castiel clenched his hands in his shirt, taking a shuddering breath. Dean pressed a kiss to his forehead, squeezing his eyes shut.

“It’s not your fault.” He whispered, holding him tightly but not uncomfortably.

Castiel shook slightly, choking back his emotions before looking up at Dean with shining eyes.

“This is wrong. I should be comforting you. It’s your father.” He said, ashamed that he was making Dean take on more burdens than he already had.

Dean shook his head, reaching up to stroke his cheek with his hand.

“You saved him.” he said. “Thank you.”

Castiel shrugged, looking away.

“I did what I could.” he said.

“You don’t understand, Cas. From what they know, my dad was minutes away from brain death. You gave him time. You gave us time.” Dean argued.

Cas looked up at him with surprise, not expecting the forcefulness in his voice.

“You almost made yourself pass out by giving him CPR. You saved him and I can never…” Dean’s voice broke and he squeezed his eyes shut, taking in a harsh breath. “Thank you.”

He yanked Castiel in again and buried his face in his hair. The dark-haired male held him close, rubbing a soothing hand up and down his spine. When they heard the doors to the hospital slide open, they both looked over to see Ellen, Jo, and Bobby hurry in.

“What’s going on?” the male demanded, not even blinking at their position.

Dean looked pained, glancing back at the doors that led to where his father was being tested. Castiel squeezed his hand reassuringly before pulling him to sit down. He began explaining everything in a low voice, allowing Dean a reprieve from telling them everything that the doctor said. As Cas told them everything he knew about liver failure, they nodded along, looking grateful for his knowledge. Dean watched him the whole time, an indescribable look on his face as he held Castiel’s hand in both of his own. He was mindlessly tracing patterns on the back of it. Ellen went to get everyone coffee from the cafeteria along with Jo. Castiel glanced over at Dean and caught sight of his eyes staring at him.

“What?” Castiel asked, afraid that he’d done something wrong.

“Nothing it’s just…” the mechanic smiled slightly despite the stress on his face and the sadness in his eyes. “You’re going to make a great doctor.”

Castiel smiled at him, pulling him in to place a soft kiss on his cheek. When the doors opened once more and Castiel’s mother walked in with Chuck in tow, Castiel stood up along with Dean.

“Are you all right?” Rebecca asked.

The question was aimed not at her son, but at Dean. Her eyes stared up at him questioningly with a sad look in them as if she knew the answer to her question already.

“I-I’m fine.” Dean stammered, surprised as he looked away from her.

Rebecca gave him a sympathetic look before pulling him into a hug. Dean kept his hand in Castiel’s, squeezing it with surprise at what was happening. When she pulled away, Castiel’s mother looked up at him and smiled softly.

“We’re here for you, whatever you need.” She assured him.

Dean looked even more shocked, glancing over at Castiel with wide eyes. He looked at his mother with a grateful look, leaning in to hug her as well.

“Thank you, Mother.” He whispered in her ear.

“Take care of him.” she murmured back, patting his back before pulling away.

When they looked over at his father, Chuck was discussing something with the receptionist. He crossed back over to them once he was done, reaching out to shake Dean’s hand and apologizing with his eyes.

“I talked to them and they’re going to put their best doc in the hospital on the case. I trust this man with my life and I’m sure your father would appreciate it. He was an old army doctor.” He said.

Dean looked even more surprised, if it was possible.

"Thank you, both of you.” he said, nodding at them.

Castiel noticed Bobby out of the corner of his eye and felt bad for ignoring him.

“Mom, Dad…” he said, getting their attention. “This is Bobby Singer.”

The gruff mechanic moved forward to shake their hands.

“Oh yeah, he’s my boss at the shop and a good friend.” Dean said, also looking like he felt bad for forgetting to introduce them.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Rebecca said, smiling at him.

Bobby nodded at them, looking torn between his normal grumpy state and a polite look.

“You two got a real good son.” He said simply, nodding at Castiel.

Both of his parents beamed proudly as a warmth filled Castiel’s chest and Dean gave Bobby a smile. Jo and Ellen walked in with the coffee at that moment, greeting his parents as Castiel volunteered to go get more coffee for his parents. When he walked into the cafeteria, he immediately caught sight of a familiar face.

“You aren’t supposed to be back here.” Tessa said, walking up to him as she stirred her coffee.

“I’m not the patient this time.” he countered.

She nodded, grinning at him.

“That’s good. I think you’re great but you were about the grumpiest patient I ever had until we let you walk around.” she said.

Castiel let out a laugh as he poured out the coffee into cups.

“I do apologize for that.” he said.

“Accepted.” Tessa nodded. “You’re here about John Winchester, right? I heard he collapsed.”

Her tone was more solemn as he nodded.

“If you want to tell everyone in your group, he’s going to be put in a room soon. They think he’ll wake up in the next hour. I’m sure it’ll settle their nerves a little bit.” Tessa said.

He shot her a grateful look.

“Thank you.” Castiel sighed.

She nodded, giving him a sympathetic look as he reached out to squeeze his shoulder. Before she walked away, he stopped her by calling her name. The nurse turned back around with an expectant look.

“He’s dying.” He finally said it aloud, something that had been brewing in his mind. “You’re not going to try to treat him. You’re going to make him comfortable.”

Tessa looked sad, nodding slowly.

“It’s all we can do.” She replied.

\----------

Castiel walked back into the waiting room slowly, dreading anyone asking him questions anymore. He didn’t want to have to tell them what he knew. He didn’t want to tell them that there was no hope. They already all knew it deep inside but he didn’t want to be the one to make them all face the truth. When Dean looked up at him, he immediately reached out for him. Castiel handed his parents their coffees before taking his place in the seat next to him.

“I ran into a nurse who was with me when I was here. Her name is Tessa and she is very good at what she does. They’ve put her on your father’s case along with the doctor my father recommended. She said they’re putting him in a room and that he should wake up soon.”

Dean let out a sigh of relief and squeezed his hand. Suddenly he looked panicked, sitting up straight and yanking out his phone.

“I-I need to call Sam. I have to tell him… I can’t believe I forgot.” He said quickly, fumbling with his phone to dial Sam’s number.

“Dean.” Castiel put his hand over the phone and the other male looked up at him. “I already called Sam when I got to the hospital and you were back there. He’s on his way.”

Dean looked relieved, putting his phone down and dropping his head onto Castiel’s shoulder.

“I love you.” he whispered.

Castiel smiled slightly, reaching up to stroke his hair.

“I love you too.”

When Tessa came out to get Dean, he stood to follow her to his father’s room.

“He wants to see you too.”

Castiel’s heart thumped when he realized that the nurse meant him. Dean looked surprised as well but waited for Cas to stand up.

“We’ll tell him you’re here.” Dean said before they walked into the back.

“Why does he want to see me?” Castiel asked Tessa.

She just gave him a knowing look before leading them to a room with an open door. John was in the bed with a breathing tube hooked into his nose and monitors beeping all around him. Castiel swallowed hard, cursing himself for not seeing the yellowing of his skin and eyes before. It was all true, he was experiencing liver failure and jaundice. Despite how horrible he must have felt, John’s face stretched into a smile when he saw them. They immediately caught sight of a burly man in a white lab coat at the end of the bed guffawing quietly.

“This is my boy that I told you about.” John said to the doctor.

“You must be Dean.” The man said in a Louisiana accent. “I’m Dr. Laffite but you can call me Benny. I prefer it.”

Dean nodded, reaching out to shake his hand.

“How’s he doing?” he asked.

“Well he’s stabilized for now. We’re gonna keep a close eye on him here.” Benny answered, flipping through his chart.

Castiel stared down at his feet, unsure of what to do.

“Benny…” John said, getting his doctor’s attention. “This is Castiel Novak, the mayor’s son.”

Cas looked up with surprise, staring first at Dean, then John, and finally nodding at the doctor.

“He’s the kid who saved my life.” Dean’s father said.

Castiel’s eyes flickered back to him and he couldn’t deny the grateful glint in them. John nodded at him.

“I know your dad. He’s a good man and so are you.” Benny acknowledged. “Not many people act so well in situations like that.”

He flushed slightly, shrugging once more.

“He wants to be a doctor.” Tessa piped up from the doorway.

Castiel glanced over at her before looking back at Benny.

“I’m sure you’ll be a hell of a doc.” The former soldier said with a smile, patting his shoulder and nodding at them before walking out with Tessa following them.

Dean moved to his father’s bed, sitting beside it and looking up at him with a hesitant expression.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were so sick, Dad?” he asked quietly.

John sighed and looked away, staring out the window.

“I didn’t want to put that on you or your brother.” he said.

Castiel could tell that his words weren’t the right ones when Dean’s jaw clenched and his hands curled into fists on his lap.

“That’s never stopped you before. You’ve never been worried about burdening us so why start now?” he demanded.

John looked over at him, surprised by his harsh voice.

“Everything else was bullshit compared to this. You’ll let us handle your traffic tickets and medical bills but you won’t let us know when you’re sick? That was wrong and you know it.” Dean accused.

The older male didn’t argue or refute his son’s words. He simply stared at him, unable to say anything in the face of his son’s anger.

“You don’t even have an excuse, do you?” Dean realized.

John swallowed and his eyes dropped to his lap. Dean shook his head, standing abruptly and causing his chair to scrape backwards.

“You’ve done a lot of shit in your life, Dad. But out of everything, this is the cruelest thing you’ve ever done.” He snapped before turning to walk out.

Castiel reached out, touching his arm and stopping him.

“Dean, you don’t want to leave. Trust me.” he whispered.

The mechanic looked at him before glancing back at his father who was watching them.

“I need air.” Dean said simply before walking out of the room.

Cas watched him go with sadness on his face.

“He doesn’t know yet, does he?” John asked.

Castiel looked back at him with confusion.

“He doesn’t know I’m dying.” The older male clarified.

The teenager hesitated before stepping closer to the bed.

“He knows. Deep inside… Dean knows exactly what’s going on. He’s very smart but he doesn’t want to acknowledge it. That’s why he’s angry with you.”

Before he knew it, Castiel was sitting in Dean’s vacated chair.

“He’s angry at you for being sick and not telling him but he’s also angry because he knows that he doesn’t have much time left with you. He doesn’t have any control over it and that scares him. He’s lashing out.” Castiel said.

John nodded, rubbing around the IV in his skin.

“He’s got every right to be pissed at me.” he said in a quiet voice.

Castiel glanced at the door, knowing that John was right yet wanting to reassure the man.

“He’ll be back. Once he clears his head, he’ll come back in here.”

John looked over at him, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.

“You know him well.” he acknowledged.

“I like to think so.” Castiel nodded, straightening up a bit.

The other man nodded as well, fidgeting with his blankets.

“Thank you, for bringing me back.” John said.

“You’re welcome.” The teenager replied solemnly.

There was silence once again.

“My chest is pretty sore and I’m told you cracked one of my ribs.” The older male said.

Castiel looked at him with wide eyes, an apology on the tip of his tongue as he took in what he said. There was always a chance of breaking a rib when doing CPR but he didn’t think that he’d done it to the man in front of him.

“You’re less scrawny than I thought.” John said, smirking.

Castiel let his words sink in before letting out a short laugh.

“I try, I suppose.” He said. “I’m sorry for the rib.”

John shrugged it off, looking unbothered.

“I’ve had worse.” He said.

Then he looked at Castiel once more, studying his face closely.

“Mary would have liked you, you know.” John informed him.

Castiel’s eyebrows shot up as his eyes widened.

“I think I would have liked her too.” He replied.

The Winchester patriarch nodded, glancing at the window.

“She woulda been real proud of Dean and Sam too. She’d have slapped me on the side of the head though. I’ve been such an idiot and she wouldn’t have been too happy about that.” John said, sounding like he was far off.

Castiel hesitated, watching him warily.

“Mr. Winchester?”

John looked over at him, torn from his thoughts.

“You should tell your sons about this… about her… about everything. They will listen to you if you just talk to them.” he said.

The other man looked skeptical.

“You think so?” he asked.

Castiel nodded.

“You’re still their father, no matter what you did. They’ll want to hear it all from you.”

John looked away again, looking pensive.

“I’ll leave you to rest.” Cas said, standing up and turning towards the door.

“Your brother’s a lawyer, right?”

He stopped, looking back at him.

“Yes.” Castiel nodded, unsure of which he was talking about.

John looked at him before speaking again.

“I’d like to see him, if it’s possible. I don’t know any lawyers and I need to settle a few things.” he said.

Castiel realized what he wanted to do and nodded slowly.

“I’ll see what I can do.” He said before walking out.

\----------

Castiel leaned his head back against the couch, blinking slowly as he stared at the ceiling. His legs were kicked out, sitting on Dean’s coffee table. He was squished against one side of the couch. Dean was lying across the cushions, his head in Castiel’s lap. He was running his fingers through the mechanic’s hair softly, hoping to soothe him slightly.

“I’m sorry about earlier. I didn’t mean to run out and leave you with him.” he said.

Cas looked down at him.

“It’s all right. I understand that this is difficult for you.” he replied, not bothered about it.

Dean turned his head, looking up at him.

“Why did he want you in there?”

Castiel let his hand drift to Dean’s cheek, stroking over the freckled skin.

“He wanted to thank me. Also to tell me that I cracked his rib when I was doing CPR.” He said.

Dean’s eyebrows lifted and after several moments, he let out a short laugh.

“I think you actually might have endeared him to you more.” He said.

Castiel smiled slightly, his hand drifting down to Dean’s throat. He smoothed his thumb over his fluttering pulse before sliding his hand to the collar of his t-shirt. Dean sighed as he stroked the hollow of his throat and his collarbone.

“When is Sam going to get here?” he asked.

“I think by tonight.” Dean answered, arching up into his touch.

Castiel nodded before sliding his hand into Dean’s shirt and stroking over the tattoo on his chest.

“You should take time off of work. I know that Sam will want you around and you probably need to be with your family right now.”

Dean sighed, lifting his hand to slide over Castiel’s wrist.

“I want to be with you.” he argued.

Castiel looked down at him, taking a deep breath.

“I want to be with you as well. I just don’t want to intrude on this time. I don’t want you to feel like you have to include me in anything. I just want to do whatever is best for you.” he said.

Dean shook his head, sitting up and turning to look at him.

“I want to be with you, Cas. I want you by my side as long as you can be. I need you here with me. I need you to stick around. We’re family. I need you.”

Castiel stared at him with surprise for several moments. His hand lifted and slid into Dean’s hair.

“I love you.” he whispered, leaning in.

Their lips met softly, Dean’s hand sliding around his back and pulling him in. They twisted around at once, Castiel straddling Dean’s lap as they continued to kiss. When Cas pushed him back onto the couch to lie down, Dean broke away and looked up at him.

“I’ll stay as long as you need me.” Castiel promised.

He pushed Dean’s shirt up and the other male helped him pull it over his head. Castiel’s lips began trailing down his chest and over his abdomen. His hands gripped Dean’s hips as he did so. The man beneath him gasped and squirmed at the touch to his torso. Castiel glanced up at him as he kissed back up to his chest.

“I love you.” The teenager said, melding their lips together once more before settling his head on Dean’s chest.

\----------

Castiel was overwhelmed. His eyes were wide as he glanced around for a reprieve. Sam didn’t stop talking, continuously questioning him about everything to do with liver failure ever since he got to the apartment after school. He didn’t want to say too much. He really didn’t want to admit that he was certain that John was dying.

“Sam.” Jess sighed, walking into the room holding a wine glass full of burgundy liquid. “Leave poor Castiel alone.”

The younger Winchester almost looked guilty at the stress that he was causing.

“Sorry, Cas.” He sighed, leaning back and rubbing his temple. “I just like knowing what is going on.”

He shook his head, trying to rearrange his features.

“It’s fine, Sam.” Castiel reassured him. “I just don’t know that I can answer all of your questions. I am not a doctor quite yet. Benny is a good doctor and he can tell you everything you need to know.”

Sam nodded, taking a beer from Jess before she moved to sit down.

“How is Dean doing?” she asked.

Castiel glanced back at the bedroom where he was taking a shower.

“He’s in shock, I think. He’s not sure about what is happening and he doesn’t have control over the situation. That frustrates him. He’s also angry at your father for keeping this to himself.” He explained.

“That’s all understandable.” Jess said, glancing at Sam.

Castiel knew that Sam must have been feeling the same way about everything. When the door open and Dean came out with messy wet hair and clean clothes, they all looked at him.

“You ready to go to the hospital?” Sam asked, standing up.

Dean shrugged, looking like he’d rather go anywhere else. Sam and Jess stopped by when they came into town but John was asleep so they didn’t stick around, choosing to come to Dean’s apartment instead. Now they were all going together to visit him on Sam’s request.

“I’ve already done my homework for the day.” Castiel said, standing up.

Dean smirked at him, pulling him into his side as they walked to the door.

“Nerd.” He murmured in his ear.

Castiel shoved him, shaking his head.

“I’m letting you know that because I can stay around as long as you need me.” he said, rolling his eyes.

Dean pulled him back in, pressing a kiss to his temple.

“I’m kidding.” He said, looking down at him happily. “Thank you.”

Castiel squinted at him before smiling slightly.

“You’re welcome.”

“How are your studies going, Castiel?” Jess asked as they approached the Impala.

He looked at her with surprise.

“They’re going fine. Thank you.” he replied.

She beamed at him as they climbed into the back of the car.

“Dean always sounds so proud of you when he talks to us about you. He calls you a genius all the time.” she said.

Castiel looked up at Dean to see that his cheeks were slightly pink.

“Well I think he’s pretty smart as well.” he said.

Dean glanced over his shoulder and grinned at him, winking before starting the car.

\----------

When they reached the door of John’s hospital room, Jess reached out and held Castiel back.

“You two should go in for now. We’ll come in in a few minutes.” She said.

Sam and Dean exchanged looks before looking at them.

“He’ll want to see his sons.” Castiel agreed.

Finally the brothers nodded, turning to walk into the room. John was watching a game on the television, the remote dangling loosely from one of his hands. He looked sicker than he had the previous day, his cheeks more sunken and his skin more yellow.

“Hey boys.” He said with a smile, muting the television as he turned to face them.

“Hi Dad.” Sam said, smiling back.

They stood on either side of his bed.

“You didn’t have to come all the way from California, Sam.” John said.

“I don’t mind.” Sam shrugged. “I should be here.”

Dean fidgeted, feeling the urge to break the uncomfortable atmosphere.

“Jess is here too. She’ll be in here in a few minutes.” He said.

John nodded, looking between his sons.

“I’m glad you’re here. We need to talk about something.” He said, pushing himself to sit up.

Sam and Dean exchanged confused looks before looking back at their father.

“I’ve been talking to a lawyer and I’m making some arrangements.” John began.

“Why?” Sam broke in, looking surprised.

John sighed and looked up at him.

“You know why. It’s just what people do in this situation.” He said.

Sam shook his head, gripping the railing of the bed.

“This situation? Have you heard something we haven’t? Why are you so sure you’re dying, Dad?” he demanded.

“My liver is failing, Sammy. There’s no coming back from that.” John said, sounding like the last thing he wanted to do was argue.

“There’s transplants, right?” Dean questioned.

John remained silent, his fingers twisting around. Sam gritted his teeth and shook his head. His temper was already rising, something that often happened in front of their father.

“Not for him.” Sam spoke up. “Not with his history. Alcoholics aren’t trusted with liver transplants in case they fall off the wagon. Or in case they were never on the wagon in the first place.”

John frowned up at him.

“I’m not drinking, Sammy.” He said.

“You understand why I can’t believe you.” the youngest Winchester shot back.

“Can we not fight?” John requested in a slightly pleading tone. “You know, half the time we're fighting, I don't know what we're fighting about. We're just butting heads. Sammy, I-I've made some mistakes. But I've always done the best I could. I just don't want to fight anymore, okay?”

Both of his sons looked at them with concern.

“Dad, are you all right?” Sam asked, knowing the answer yet wanting to make sure his father was comfortable at the moment.

“Yeah. Yeah, I'm just a little tired.” he sighed. “Hey, son, would you, uh, would you mind getting me a cup of caffeine?”

Dean looked between them, frowning as he wondered what was going on.

“Yeah.” Sam nodded, looking up at Dean before glancing back at his father. “Yeah, sure.”

He walked out, leaving them alone. Dean watched John as he stared after Sam with a sad look.

“What is it?” he asked, wanting to know what was going through his father’s head.

John looked up at him, sighing heavily before sitting back on his pillow.

“You know, when you were a kid, I'd come home from the bar, and I'd be-I'd be wrecked. And you… you'd come up to me and you'd put your hand on my shoulder and you'd look me in the eye and you'd... you'd say ‘It's okay, Dad’.”

Dean looked at him with a troubled look, stepping forward.

“Dean, I'm sorry.” John sighed.

“What?” he found himself saying.

“You shouldn't have had to say that to me, I should have been saying that to you. You know, I put… I put too much on your shoulders, I made you grow up too fast. You took care of Sammy, you took care of me. You did that, and you didn't complain, not once. I just want you to know that I am so proud of you.”

Dean swallowed hard, not really understanding what his father was saying.

“Why are you saying this stuff?”

John reached out, putting a hand over his.

“I want you to watch out for Sammy, okay?” he said.

“Yeah, dad, you know I will.” Dean nodded.

“And watch out for that kid of yours too. You love him and I can see it. You look like I did when I looked at Mary. He loves you too so watch out for him and don’t let him go. He’s gonna be the best for you and you for him, too.” John instructed.

Dean didn’t say anything, taking a seat next to his father.

“You can still fight this.” he said, looking up at him.

John gave him a small smile.

“I’ll fight as long as I can, Dean. But eventually nature is gonna take over. My actions led to this. They led to everything that is happening now and I can’t stop it. No one can stop it. Sam was right, I’m not eligible for a transplant. I know that they’re making me comfortable and I know that you don’t want to admit that I’m dying but it’s what’s happening.”

Dean swallowed hard against the tightness in his throat, shaking his head.

“I’ve done a lot of things that I regret. I’ve said a lot of things I regret. A lot of them have to do with you and Sam. Mainly you. I should have been more accepting of you. No, I should have told you that I accepted you. I never felt that strongly about the way you are. I was bitter and I was angry. I didn’t know how to handle any of that. I was mostly scared because I wasn’t sure how others would take it. I didn’t want you to be treated badly because of it.”

They both remained quiet for a moment before Dean sat back and took a deep breath.

“Dad… I understand all of that and it’s fine but… you were the one who treated me the worst.”

John nodded, looking away from him at the wall.

“I’m sorry, Dean.” He said in a quiet voice.

The door opened and Sam walked in holding a cup of coffee. Jess and Castiel trailed behind him, the blonde immediately walking to John and greeting him with a smile and a kiss to his cheek. After several minutes of mindless chat, Dean stood and everyone looked at him with expectant looks.

“I forgive you, Dad.” He finally said.

Castiel, Sam, and Jess all looked confused, glancing between them as they wondered what happened between the two men when they weren’t in the room. John simply nodded, smiling up at him as Dean nodded back before going to the connected bathroom to take a breath.

\----------

**One Week Later**

It happened when he was at lunch. Lisa broke into the cafeteria with a tear-stained face. Everyone’s eyes were attracted to her as she weaved through the tables straight to him. Castiel stood slowly, fear and sadness settling into his chest as he already knew what was going to happen.

“Castiel…” the female said, reaching out towards him. “Can I speak to you outside?”

Jo stood as well, fear on her face as she was slowly figuring it out as well.

“Tell me.” he said simply.

She looked up at him with sadness.

“I got a message from the hospital. I know you would want to know.” She said quietly, glancing around at everyone who was watching them. “It’s John… he passed away about an hour ago.”

Jo gasped, staggering backwards towards the table. Their friends jumped up to support her but Castiel couldn’t bring himself to move.

“Dean is there now, I think. Sam is as well.” Lisa said, her voice sounding very far away.

He nodded, turning around on the spot to see that everyone was watching him.

“I have to go.” he said.

“What?” Lisa asked.

Castiel bent down, picking up his schoolbag and hoisting it over his shoulder.

“I have to go, now.”

Everyone began muttering quickly as he made his way towards the exit of the cafeteria. Before he reached the door, he was running.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m so sorry for the quickness of the chapter and the cliffhanger… again. They’re addicting and I’m not doing it on purpose. I hope you don’t hate me. There might be flashbacks to John’s time in the hospital in the next chapter. I’m not entirely sure yet.  
> Please let me know what you think!


	29. Chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the days leading up to John’s funeral, Castiel is having a hard time dealing with Dean and everyone else is wondering how to help him grieve.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the positive feedback and support. I love you all so very much. 
> 
> This is going to have very familiar sounding scenes in it and if you hate that, I’m sorry. I like tying things back to the show just because this is an alternate universe of Supernatural but the characters are somewhat still the same and I think that part of writing them is having them react in some of the same ways that they react in the show, especially in similar situations.
> 
> Dean isn’t exactly going to be easy to deal with in some parts of this chapter. Some of you are worried that he’s going to push Castiel away but that’s not… exactly… what’s going to happen. He is going to be a bit different in this chapter. The grief is going to affect him in a very deep way. He’s going to be very Dean-like when it comes to his emotions. I hope you don’t hate it, I tried to do my best.

**_Five Days Later_ **

_The group was solemn as they walked into the building. It was too brightly lit for its purpose. Castiel took a deep breath, wincing at the smell that permeated the air. A hand slid onto his shoulder and squeezed lightly. He turned and met a pair of gentle eyes._

_“Are you sure you want to be here?” Jess asked quietly._

_Castiel nodded, glancing around at Sam where he was speaking with the funeral director._

_“I need to be here.” He said. “Especially since…”_

_He trailed off but Jess seemed to know what he wanted to say. Dean’s absence wouldn’t go unnoticed but Castiel hoped that by being there, he could alleviate some of the questioning that would be focused at the older Winchester._

_“Jess?” Sam said, looking around at her._

_“I’m here.” She said, walking to him and sliding her hand into his._

_Castiel watched with a sad look, rubbing his forehead as he turned away to glance at the door hopefully._

_“If you’ll come with me, you can make some decisions about the ceremony and the coffin.” The director said. “As you know, your father’s funeral is covered by his military benefits so you don’t have to worry about the costs.”_

_“And where will he be…” Sam cut off, clearing his throat. “Where will he be buried?”_

_“Fort Riley is the closest veteran’s cemetery. You have the funeral either here in the chapel, at a church of your choosing, or graveside with the full honor guard.”_

_Their voices faded as they walked down the hallway. When the door to the funeral home opened, Castiel felt a spark of hope but it faded when he saw Ellen and Jo walk in. They caught sight of him and Jo shook her head sadly when she saw his questioning look. Castiel sighed, turning away from the door to follow Sam and Jess._

\----------

**Five Days Previous**

Castiel ran into the hospital, not caring who saw him or how many people yelled at him to stop. When he saw Bobby and Sam standing with Benny in the middle of the hallway, he hurried to them.

“Where is he?” he asked breathlessly, looking around.

Sam and Bobby looked hesitant, exchanging glances.

“He took off.” the younger Winchester brother finally admitted. “A few minutes ago he just left.”

Cas felt his heart sink.

“I – I came here for him.” he said, looking between them with a devastated look.

“I’m sure he’ll show back up. Just stick around and wait.” Bobby said, patting his shoulder.

Castiel took a deep breath and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to think of where Dean would go.

“I have to…” he shook his head, pulling away from them. “I have to go.”

Sam called after him as he walked out but he didn’t listen, going to his car to climb in.

\----------

When he walked into his house three hours later, his mother rushed up to him with a concerned look.

“We’ve been trying to get a hold of you for hours.” Rebecca said, trying to look stern but only looking scared. “Why did you leave school early?”

Castiel reached out, clutching at her arm.

“Dean’s father died.” He said, looking down at the ground as he spoke. “I was trying to find Dean… no one knows where he is right now.”

Rebecca’s look changed to sympathy as she pulled him into a hug.

“I’m sure that Dean is all right. He just needs time to grieve.” she said, rubbing his back soothingly.

Cas nodded, not quite hearing her as his mind raced with the possibilities of where Dean could be and what he could be doing.

\----------

Castiel walked into his school building amidst stares the next day. Everyone was wondering what happened the previous day but no one dared to ask. Jo walked to him immediately, standing beside him and shooting glares at anyone who looked like they might walk up to him except for their immediate group.

“Did you hear from him?” he asked in a low voice as he pulled books out of his locker.

Jo shook her head sadly.

“No one has yet. Sam said he went by his house late last night and thought he might be in there but Dean didn’t answer the door.” She sighed.

Castiel looked up at her, trying and failing to hide his emotions.

“I’m worried.” He admitted.

“So am I.” Jo agreed.

Minus the curious looks from his classmates that faded as the day went on, it was normal up until their last class period. Both Castiel and Jo were certain that they would have a substitute. When they walked in and saw Dean perched on the edge of the desk, they exchanged wide-eyed looks and moved to their cars.

“Hey guys.” Dean said, sounding normal like nothing even happened. “We’re going to study up on fitting doors on cars today and tomorrow we’ll actually do it. Get to reading.”

Castiel didn’t feel his concern drop. In fact, he was even more afraid for Dean now. He dropped into his driver’s seat with his book, opening to the chapter. He didn’t see a single word, chewing on his lip and glancing up at Dean where he was going through paperwork throughout the class. Jo looked as distracted as Cas, sneakily texting on her phone, most likely to her mother or Sam. When the bell rang to indicate the end of class, Jo didn’t even question Cas, squeezing his hand on the way out as the class filed out. Dean didn’t look up at him as he hovered by his car, shutting down his computer and picking up all his things off of the desk. When he finally organized his papers after a full ten minutes and stood, Castiel braced himself. Dean turned to him, looking at him without surprise in his eyes as if he expected Castiel to stay.

“Dean, I…” Castiel hesitated when the mechanic began walking towards him. “I was worried. You took off yesterday and… all I wanted to know… well I just, I wanted to be there for you.”

His stammering was cut off when Dean pulled him into a tight embrace, their lips clashing together. Castiel gasped, his hands flying up to steady himself against the other male. He responded automatically, his eyes fluttering closed and his lips parting to allow Dean access. When he pulled away, Castiel looked up at him with wide eyes.

“What…” he began.

“Let’s go.” Dean cut him off, looking at him with a spark in his eye.

Castiel knew what it meant and a shiver ran through his body. Despite that, he tried to talk through it.

“We should talk, Dean.” He sighed, trying to clear his mind of the desire threatening to overtake him. “I want to help you.”

Dean bent down, his lips moving against his throat and his teeth scraping over the skin as he sucked on his pulse point. Castiel groaned and his head fell back to give him more access.

“C’mon, Cas.” He murmured. “Please.”

He found himself nodding before he knew it.

\----------

After following Dean to his apartment, Castiel was practically yanked through the door before Dean had him pressed against the wall. Heat immediately flooded his body as their lips melded together and Dean’s hands cupped his face gently. Both of their jackets fell to the floor as they stumbled backwards to the bedroom. In the back of his mind, Cas knew this wasn’t right. He was supposed to be there to help Dean grieve, not to sleep with him. But another part of him thought that this was just part of the process. He certainly wasn’t an unwilling participant and who would be hurt if this was how Dean chose to cope with his father’s death?

They were barely through the bedroom door before Dean was yanking Castiel’s shirt over his head and then his own. Their bodies fell onto the bed at the same time, limbs entangling as they rutted against each other and kissed roughly and passionately. Dean dug his fingers into Castiel’s back, sending sparks of pleasure up and down his spine. When his lips began attacking his throat and chest, Castiel laid back and ran his fingers through Dean’s hair. They were already both aroused, their bodies pulsing with desire.

_“Stop him before you both do something you regret.”_

The voice that sounded suspiciously like his best friend echoed through his head. Castiel let out a gasp and sat up suddenly, running his fingers through his messy hair. Dean didn’t seem bothered by it, not missing a beat as he slid behind Castiel and continued running his hands over his body as he placed kisses over his shoulders and neck.

 _“Fuck that.”_ his own voice fought back in his head. _“He wants you, Castiel. What else do you need?”_

Dean’s hand brushed over his swollen length and he gave it a light squeeze through his jeans, making Cas buck upwards as a moan slid out of his mouth. Jo’s arguing voice faded into the background as his own voice encouraged him. When Dean grabbed his hips and propelled him forward, Castiel went willingly onto his hands and knees. When his pants and boxers were pulled down and off, he bit his lip and went to his elbows, pushing his ass up into the air. Dean murmured his name and something else that Cas didn’t quite hear in the lustful haze settling over his mind. When the mechanic reached between his legs and stroked his cock, Castiel whimpered and thrusted into his hand.

“So fucking beautiful.” Dean said, sounding appreciative.

Castiel flushed at the praise, his eyes fluttering closed as he heard the unmistakable sound of a bottle cap being opened. Dean’s slick finger stroked around his hole in the next moment and Cas pushed back against him, desperate for more. His finger slid in slowly and he took his time despite both of their longing for more. Dean stretched him out carefully, ensuring that he was fully prepared. When he had three fingers buried in him, Castiel let out a sobbing plea. Dean obliged, stroking his prostate.

“Dean.” The teenager moaned, grinding down on his hand. “More, please.”

Dean pulled away, quickly divesting himself of the rest of his clothes. When he was naked, Dean poured the lubricant out onto his length, making sure that it was completely covered before pulling Castiel back. As he settled back against the headboard with his knees pushing Castiel’s legs apart, the dark-haired male sank down onto him inch-by-inch. Their breaths were harsh, filling the air. Dean pulled his lover back against his chest and Castiel’s head fell onto his shoulder as his hands flew out to grip the pillows on either side of them.

In this position, Dean began thrusting upwards slowly. Dean turned his head, their lips meeting as he gripped Castiel’s hips to steady him. The pace grew quicker after a few moments. Castiel’s back arched and cries of pleasure flew out of his mouth as the head of Dean’s cock struck his prostate each time. He moved eagerly, his hips rocking down onto Dean’s cock.

“Touch yourself.” Dean urged, nibbling at his ear. “Come on my cock.”

Castiel groaned and began stroking his own length in sync with their movements.

“Dean…” he whimpered, squeezing his eyes shut as he felt his stomach coiling. “I’m c-close.”

Dean turned Castiel’s head, kissing him deeply as his own hand replaced Castiel’s.

“Come for me.” he whispered.

Castiel let out a shout of his name and his body writhed on top of Dean as white liquid painted his abdomen and his muscles clenched around his partner’s cock that was still thrusting up into him.

“Fuck Cas.” Dean groaned at the feeling, approaching his own finish quickly.

Castiel laid back against his chest, breathing heavily as he came down from his high. When Dean spilled his come inside of him, he turned and peppered kisses on his throat, stroking Dean’s hair until they both stilled, too sensitive to move anymore. Dean pulled out of him, cleaning them both up before pulling Castiel back against his chest as they laid down.

“Dean…” he began in a hoarse voice.

“Shh.” The other male urged. “Sleep.”

\----------

“What do you mean, you didn’t talk to him?” Jo asked, looking shocked.

Castiel sighed, his eyes burning with exhaustion as he walked slowly to his locker.

“He didn’t want to talk, Jo. He made that quite clear.” He said in a low voice, massaging his lower back with his hand.

Jo looked at him with an annoyed glint in her eyes.

“Well then what the hell did you do with him? Gabriel told me that you were at his house until late.” She questioned.

Castiel frowned over at her, his brow furrowing.

“When did you talk to my brother?” he asked.

“It doesn’t matter.” Jo waved off. “What happened when you were at Dean’s that got in the way of you two talking?”

Cas shook his head, slamming his locker shut as he gave her a look. Jo suddenly gasped and looked stunned.

“You… you two… Castiel!” She hissed, looking frustrated. “His father just died and you two were having sex?”

He sighed heavily once more, walking towards his first class.

“It wasn’t exactly my idea.” He grumbled.

“But you didn’t exactly discourage him, did you?” Jo countered.

He didn’t reply, not really wanting to talk about it.

“Wait, you were over there for a long time.” she said, confused.

Castiel gave her another look and Jo grimaced, looking like she wanted to hit him.

“More than once?” she demanded. “Cas you have got to do better than that!”

“I tried. He wouldn’t have it.” he defended himself. “Dean does not want to talk about his father and I can’t force him to.”

Jo rolled her eyes, shaking her head.

“You can say no to fucking like bunnies though.” She grumbled, looking like she wanted to knock their heads together.

\----------

“Are you sure?” Jess asked, looking at Sam with uncertainty in her eyes.

“From what Jo says, Castiel isn’t having any luck with him. Maybe if I try…” Sam said, looking out at where his brother was parked and working underneath his car.

They were surprised enough that Dean was over at Bobby’s at all. They were convinced that he would stay away as long as he could.

“Well, let me know if you need me.” she said, leaning in to kiss his cheek. “You know I’m always here.”

Sam nodded, giving her a grateful look. He walked out slowly, his hands in his pockets. A radio was playing quietly, barely loud enough to hear over Dean’s tinkering underneath the Impala.

“How's the car coming along?” he asked, cursing his inability to move into this gracefully.

“Fine.” Dean answered shortly, picking up his wrench to tighten something.

“Yeah?” Sam said, reaching up to rub his forehead. “Need any help?”

Dean scoffed and he could almost see his older brother rolling his eyes.

“What, you under a hood? I'll pass.”

Sam understood. He’d never had the magic with cars that Dean inherited from their father and Bobby.

“Need anything else, then?” he questioned, hating how transparent he sounded.

Dean pushed himself out from under the car and sat up, wiping his forehead.

“Stop it, Sam.” he said, standing up.

“Stop what?” Sam questioned, wincing.

“Stop asking if I need anything, stop asking if I'm okay.” Dean said, keeping his voice light as he walked to his toolbox that was sitting on a wooden table. “I'm okay. Really.”

There was a moment of silence as Sam wondered how it would be best to challenge his brother’s words. Dean glanced over at him, sensing his inner monologue.

“I promise.” The older brother said.

“All right, Dean, it's just...” Sam shook his head. “It’s been a few days now and you haven't brought up Dad once.”

Dean nodded, looking solemn as he wiped off his wrench with a rag.

“You know what? You're right. Come here.” He tilted his head to am. “I'm gonna lay my head gently on your shoulder. Maybe we can cry, hug, and maybe even slow dance.”

“Don't patronize me, Dean.” Sam snapped. “Dad is dead and you're acting like nothing happened.”

Dean stared back at him, his face an emotionless mask.

“What do you want me to say?” he fired back.

“Say something, all right? Hell, say anything!”

All that he really wanted was a reaction out of his brother. He wanted him to do something other than shut himself up with Castiel in his apartment, go to work, and mess with his car, especially since their father’s funeral was due to be in a few days. Instead all he got was an icy glare as Dean dropped back down to slide under the car. Sam sighed, clenching his jaw as he turned to walk back to the house.

“Bobby’s making steaks tonight.” He said simply, knowing that Dean wouldn’t be there anyway.

\----------

Castiel felt eyes on him as he woke up. Dean was staring at him from across the bed, a strangle look on his face.

“How long was I sleeping?” he asked, reaching up to rub his eyes.

“Only about forty minutes.” Dean answered, reaching out to take his other hand.

Castiel sighed and slid to him, pressing his head against Dean’s bare chest. His body ached in the good way that it always did after they were together physically. He was feeling it more and more over the past few days. It wasn’t a bad thing except that Castiel was less and less convinced that it had anything to do with Dean’s healing.

“There’s a thing tonight.” Dean said, stroking his hair softly. “Bobby’s making dinner and I didn’t know if you would want to… well if you… can you come?”

Castiel looked up at him with surprise before leaning in to kiss him lightly.

“Of course I’ll come, Dean.” He reassured him.

The other male smiled slightly before pulling Cas into him once more.

\----------

Castiel shifted in his seat, smiling at Jess as she handed him the basket of dinner rolls.

“This looks great, Bobby.” She said, glancing over at the oldest male.

“You’re sweet.” Bobby grumbled, flushing slightly as he cut into his steak.

Dean wasn’t even looking up at anyone, his hand holding Castiel’s tightly under the table as he stared down at his plate.

“How’s school going, Castiel?” Sam asked.

“It’s good.” He said, smiling at him. “I think, if I manage to pull a decent grade in my classes, I’ll be number one in the class.”

Sam beamed at him as Jess patted his shoulder.

“That’s great.” The younger Winchester said, sounding impressed.

“Thank you.” Castiel nodded at him.

“You know, Sam was first in his class at the high school.” Bobby said.

Dean let out a huff, reaching out to pick up his beer.

“And I’m pretty sure I was first in nothing but amount of detentions.” He said, barely glancing up as he took a bite of steak.

They all felt guilt as he grew quiet again.

“How is Stanford going?” Castiel questioned both Sam and Jess.

“It’s wonderful.” Jess said, grinning.

“Yeah, it’s pretty great. We’re just thinking about taking next year off.” Sam nodded.

“Why?” Bobby asked, sounding surprised.

Even Dean was looking up with a shocked look on his face.

“Well after Dad… we think, we just think it would be good to be here with family.” Sam said.

Jess reached out, nodding as she took Sam’s hand.

“We’re still thinking about it but it seems like a good option.” She said.

Castiel glanced over at Dean and he frowned when he saw his jaw clenching. There was nothing good that would come out of that revelation.

\----------

When Bobby, Castiel, and Jess were involved in a conversation about some documentary, Dean saw his chance.

“Sam?” he said, walking towards the door.

His brother knew what he wanted, following him outside. The others noticed, exchanging wary glances. When Dean turned around beside the Impala, Sam saw the confusion and irritation on his face.

“What?” he questioned.

“That whole, uh, taking a year off of school thing. Were you just saying that to make dinner conversation or were you, you know, saying it?”

Sam sighed, turning his face away.

“Sam?” Dean pushed, sounding almost angry.

“I don't know.” Sam admitted.

“You don't know? I thought that once the funeral was over that you and Jess were gonna take off, head back to Wussy State.”

“I'm having second thoughts.” the younger brother said, staring at the ground with his hands on his hips.

“Really?” Dean questioned.

“Yeah. I think. Dad would have wanted me to stick it out here. This is the only family we have left, Dean. I think I need to be here.”

“Since when do you give a damn what Dad wanted? You spent half your life doing exactly what he didn't want, Sam.” Dean argued, his eyes flashing with anger.

“Since he died, okay?” Sam shot back. “Do you have a problem with that?”

The door opened and Castiel stepped out, looking concerned at the raised voices. Jess and Bobby were just behind him looking ready to step in. Dean shook his head, stepping towards his Impala as Castiel walked towards him.

“Naw, I don't have a problem at all.”

Sam sighed, watching as they climbed in the car. Cas gave him a sympathetic look as they pulled away. When they were halfway down the driveway, Dean reached out and took his hand.

“I’m sorry about that.” he muttered, staring forward.

“It’s all right.” Castiel said, knowing that they were going back to Dean’s house.

\----------

The group was solemn as they walked into the building. It was too brightly lit for its purpose. Castiel took a deep breath, wincing at the smell that permeated the air. A hand slid onto his shoulder and squeezed lightly. He turned and met a pair of gentle eyes.

“Are you sure you want to be here?” Jess asked quietly.

Castiel nodded, glancing around at Sam where he was speaking with the funeral director.

“I need to be here.” He said. “Especially since…”

He trailed off but Jess seemed to know what he wanted to say. Dean’s absence wouldn’t go unnoticed but Castiel hoped that by being there, he could alleviate some of the questioning that would be focused at the older Winchester.

“Jess?” Sam said, looking around at her.

“I’m here.” She said, walking to him and sliding her hand into his.

Castiel watched with a sad look, rubbing his forehead as he turned away to glance at the door hopefully.

“If you’ll come with me, you can make some decisions about the ceremony and the coffin.” The director said. “As you know, your father’s funeral is covered by his military benefits so you don’t have to worry about the costs.”

“And where will he be…” Sam cut off, clearing his throat. “Where will he be buried?”

“Fort Riley is the closest veteran’s cemetery. You have the funeral either here in the chapel, at a church of your choosing, or graveside with the full honor guard.”

Their voices faded as they walked down the hallway. When the door to the funeral home opened, Castiel felt a spark of hope but it faded when he saw Ellen and Jo walk in. They caught sight of him and Jo shook her head sadly when she saw his questioning look. Castiel sighed, turning away from the door to follow Sam and Jess. The process was strange and uncomfortable. Cas, Ellen, and Jo remained quiet, allowing Sam to make decisions with Jess’ help. They were all relieved when it was over.

“Where are we headed now?” Ellen asked as they walked out of the funeral home.

“Dad’s storeroom. He’ll have his old Marine stuff stored there and different stuff that we can have at the home for tomorrow if anyone wants to visit him.” Sam answered. “You guys don’t have to come if you don’t want.”

“We’ll come.” Jo said.

Ellen and Castiel nodded in agreement.

“Anything that we can do.” Ellen said.

Sam gave them appreciative smiles before they split up to load into cars.

\----------

“Was your dad…” Jo trailed off, glancing around the dusty storeroom. “Was he some sort of hoarder?”

“Joanna Beth!” Ellen berated, staring at her with wide eyes.

Sam laughed as he pulled a box off of the shelf in front of him.

“Yeah, Jo.” He nodded. “He never threw anything away.”

The room was large, accommodating many boxes full of things that Sam and Dean hadn’t seen in fifteen years.

“What are we looking for?” Jess asked.

“Anything labeled with photos or his years in the service. Dad was pretty meticulous about organization.” Sam answered.

They set to work, organizing things and finding stuff that could be used at the funeral home once John was ready to be seen by visitors who wouldn’t be at the funeral. Everything was going smoothly until Castiel reached up high to grab a box that Jess pointed out. Jo gasped, looking at the skin that was visible where his shirt rode up. She walked straight up to him, yanking the box out of his hands and pushing his shirt up once she set it down.

“What the hell is that?” she demanded, looking at the bruises on his hips with wide eyes.

“Jo.” Cas sighed, shaking his head.

Realization dawned on her face as she recognized the finger shape of the marks.

“Oh I am going to kill him.” she growled.

Everyone watched with shock as she stomped out of the storage unit and snatched her mother’s keys off of a table.

“Jo!” Castiel raced after her and everyone else followed, confused at what was going on.

\----------

One after another, three cars screeched into the driveway of Bobby’s house. Jo was out first, running up towards the house. Castiel and Ellen followed closely, the woman questioning her daughter’s friend as he refused to say what was wrong. Sam and Jess were last, both very stunned at what was going on. When Jo found Dean drinking out of a beer in the kitchen, she shoved him as hard as she could into the cabinets.

“What the hell?” he demanded, wiping the beer off of his chin where it spilled.

“I could ask you the same fucking question!” Jo shouted.

“Language, Joanna Beth!” Ellen scolded, looking shocked at her daughter’s behavior.

“Jo…” Castiel said, reaching out to stop her.

She shook her head at him.

“I recognize that you’re going through a hard time and I want you to be as comforted as possible but this…” she pointed at Castiel and everyone looked at him. “This is enough.”

Just then, everyone really seemed to see what was going on with the dark-haired teenager. They saw the bags under his eyes and the exhaustion in the way he held himself. Dean frowned, looking confused.

“What are you talking about?”

“He’s exhausted, Dean! He has bruises on his hips from where you got a little too excited! I know that sex is a good way to release your emotions but for fuck’s sake, give him a damn break!”

Dean looked taken aback as he finally realized what she was talking about.

“Jo stop it, please.” Castiel said, embarrassment filling him that Dean’s family was hearing this.

“He wasn’t forced into anything.” Dean said as if he was insulted. “I would never do that.”

“He didn’t feel like he could say no! He loves you, Dean! Especially now, he would give you anything to make you happy! Yeah he enjoyed it and he doesn’t have a problem with it. Cas doesn’t see anything wrong with it but I do and you need to as well! This isn’t healthy for either of you! So you need to grow up and deal with this the normal way!”

Dean stared at her with a wide-eyed look, his eyes flashing to Castiel once before he turned and hurried out of the house. Castiel made to follow him with a glare aimed at Jo but Sam stopped him.

“Let me.” he said quietly, patting his shoulder before heading out after his brother.

Castiel’s shoulders slumped and he put a hand over his eyes as he shook his head.

“Come on.” Jess said, putting her arm around his shoulders and leading him to the couch in the living room.

\----------

Sam walked up to the car slowly, frustrated to see that Dean had thrown himself into working on it again.

“I don’t want to talk about it, Sam.” His brother said simply, leaving no room for argument in his tone.

Sam sighed, pausing as he looked down at where he was messing with the wheel.

“Then we don’t have to talk about it.” he answered.

Dean didn’t look up at him but Sam could tell that he was surprised.

“You were right.”

The older brother glanced up with confusion on his face.

“About what?” Dean questioned.

“About me and Dad. I'm sorry that the last time I was with him I tried to pick a fight. I'm sorry that I spent most of my life angry at him. I mean, for all I know he died thinking that I hate him. So you're right. What I'm doing right now, it's too little. It's too late.”

Sam took a deep shuddering breath, closing his eyes as he tried to get through the words he really wanted to say.

“I miss him, man. And I feel guilty as hell. And I'm not all right. Not at all.” Tears burned in his eyes as a lump formed in his throat. “But neither are you. That much I know. It’s none of my business what’s happening with Castiel or anything so I’m not going to question you about it. All I want is for you to be okay. That’s it.”

Sam paused, watching as Dean stared at the ground and took in his words.

“I'll let you get back to work.” He sighed, turning to walk off as he felt a weight lift off his shoulders at the words that were finally spoken.

Dean watched him go as he stood, a crowbar hanging loosely in his hand. When Sam turned the corner to walk into the house, his grip tightened and he lifted it with an enraged look.

\----------

Castiel leapt up at the first echoing slam. Sam was hovering at the door when he ran out looking out at the salvage yard with wide eyes. Cas blew past him, not caring that the others were trying to get him to come back and leave Dean to take out his anger. When he saw him slamming the crowbar into the Impala’s trunk over and over again, he sped up.

“Dean!” he caught his arm and tried to knock the bar from it. “Stop!”

Dean let out a whimper as it fell from his hands and suddenly he was crumpling towards the ground. Castiel went with him, wrapping his arms around him as he saw the tears sliding down his cheeks.

“I’m sorry.” Dean whispered, looking up at him with a devastated expression. “I’m so sorry.”

Castiel shook his head, pulling him in tightly as he kissed his head.

“Shh.” He murmured. “It’s all right.”

He could see the others in the distance watching them as he held Dean close.

“I’m so sorry.” The mechanic repeated. “I should have treated you better. I shouldn’t have expected you to… I should have been better.”

“It was my choice too, Dean. I could have stopped it and I didn’t. I was fully consenting so stop blaming yourself.” Castiel lectured. “It’s all right.”

Dean clutched at him tightly as he kissed him lightly.

\----------

“This is where I came the other day.” Dean said, walking on the river.

Castiel squeezed his hand.

“I was worried.” He admitted. “I was so scared that you were going to do something and get yourself hurt.”

Dean glanced over at him, shaking his head.

“I wouldn’t do that to you… to anyone.” He said.

Castiel nodded, looking relieved.

“Keep it that way.” he said as they sat down on a large boulder.

Dean pulled him into his side with his arm around him.

“I was afraid.” He admitted. “I told my dad… I told him that I forgave him. But I’m not sure if I did. I mean, he did so much… he was such a horrible person. I wasn’t sure I could ever forgive him. But I told him I did.”

Castiel looked up at him, surprise on his face.

“You were feeling guilty.” He realized.

Dean nodded, looking ashamed.

“Dean, you did the right thing.” Castiel reassured him, putting a hand on his cheek. “Even if you haven’t forgiven him now, you could still do it someday. You might decide to let it all go and forgive him five years from now. It doesn’t make a difference. He died in peace. He died believing that you forgave him. You gave him that. You did the right thing.”

“You really think so?” Dean questioned, looking uncertain.

“I do.” Castiel nodded. “You are a good man, Dean Winchester.”

\----------

The morning air was cool around them, their breaths visible in the air. There were very few chairs lined up, just enough for the few people who came. Castiel’s family was all seated in the back chairs but he was at the front beside Dean who was next to Sam who was next to Jess. Bobby, Ellen, Jo, and Rufus were behind them. Benny was there as well as a few of the nurses, including Tessa. Dean and Castiel didn’t bother to hide there. Their hands were intertwined throughout the service, only breaking away when the Marine handed Dean the folded up flag. Castiel winced each time the guns went off and Dean squeezed his hand reassuringly.

When the service was over, Castiel stood back with his family as everyone went to speak to Dean and Sam. Rebecca was holding his hand as they watched the people converse.

“It was a beautiful ceremony.” Chuck acknowledged.

“It was.” Castiel agreed as his mother hummed.

When the people began filing off, Dean turned to Castiel with an emotionally and physically exhausted look. Cas glanced back at his mother and she nodded once.

“Come on.” Castiel said, reaching out to take his hand. “Let’s go home and get some real sleep.”

Dean followed willingly, nodding at his brother when he said they would meet for dinner that night. When they collapsed into Dean’s bed and curled up in each other’s arms, Dean held Castiel tightly and apologized to him one last time. Castiel shook his head, looking up at him.

“I love you.” he said simply.

Dean sighed with relief, leaning down to kiss him lightly.

“I love you too. Thank you.”


	30. Chapter 29

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Castiel spend spring break together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This picks up a few weeks after the last chapter, just to let you know where the timeline is. I know that the first part is kind of quick but it’s pretty much setting up the rest of the chapter that will be fun and happy after the last few chapters have not been so much.
> 
> Let’s get one thing straight; I know nothing about wills, life insurance, military payoffs after deaths, or lawyers. I KNOW NOTHING (might as well call me Jon Snow, sorry fandom joke). So if anything is incorrect in this, I apologize. It’s fiction, shit is made up. I am freely admitting that I made it up. I am sorry if it offends anybody but I do not have the resources, time, or wifi to research every single detail. I wish I did, but I don’t. Please forgive me.
> 
> I am so sorry, this chapter won’t be as long as the others. I know it’s been forever since there was an update, but I’ve been crazy busy and also a little bit sick. This chapter might be absolutely horrible and for that, I sincerely apologize. I could not figure out how to do it so I just wrote it and hoped for the best.
> 
> There will only be two or three chapters more at the most. I would love to write this story forever but I do have to move on. I have enjoyed it so much and you have all made it worth it so thank you for that.

“One week.”

Castiel smiled slightly, shaking his head as he twisted the tool in his hand.

“I’m just saying…” Dean trailed off.

“Yes.” The teenager sighed, looking over at him with a raised eyebrow. “You’ve said it several times. One week.”

Dean nodded.

“Hell yeah, one week.” He said, grinning as he slid his hand up his shirt to rest on his back.

His mouth went to Castiel’s ear and he shuddered, heat rushing through his body.

“One week until there is no school, no homework, no people to be careful around, and no rumors to worry about.” Dean murmured in his ear. “One week until I get to have you for a full seven days without interruption.”

Castiel couldn’t help but smile and thank every decision that led to spring break becoming a regularity in schooling. At that moment, the door to the garage was wrenched open. They both jumped, slamming their heads on the hood of Castiel’s car that was above them.

“Ow!” they complained at the same time, turning with narrowed eyes at whoever interrupted their moment.

Michael, Sam, and Jess were standing there with raised eyebrows.

“Thanks for the headache.” Dean grumbled, pushing away from the car.

Castiel stared at them with confusion, wondering why they would all be together. Apparently Dean was thinking the same thing.

“I have something to share with both of you.” Michael said, holding up a folder that was in his hand.

“What is it?” Dean asked curiously, confused as to why Castiel’s brother had anything for him.

“I am the lawyer that your father contacted to write out his last wishes. It took a few weeks to align them with the life insurance and military benefits that still apply but now it is all sorted out and you can be informed of what he left to you.” he said.

“Left to us?” Sam asked, his brow furrowing as he closed the door to the garage.

“He didn’t have anything to leave to us.” Dean argued, thinking on the same track as his brother.

“On the contrary, your father planned out better than either of you thought.” Michael said, inviting them to sit down. 

Dean sat behind his desk while Sam and Jess sat in the other two chairs there. Castiel pulled up two other seats for him and his brother, wondering if he was allowed to be there. Dean’s eyes told him that he wasn’t allowed to go anywhere and Michael didn’t bother to say anything about his presence. He pulled out a small stack of papers and began reading off of the first one.

“In the Last Will and Testament of John Winchester, he names Dean Winchester and Sam Winchester as the sole beneficiaries of the properties, wealth, and valuables that he leaves behind.” Michael spoke in a formal voice.

“Cut out the formal talk, Michael.” Dean said, looking slightly frustrated as well as curious. “Just tell us what the hell is going on.”

Michael sighed and adjusted his posture, scanning his eyes down to the bottom of the page.

“Dean Winchester and Sam Winchester are to receive, by the wishes of John Winchester and for his military service, life insurance, and savings, a monetary inheritance in the amount of $100,000 as well as a monthly check in the amount of $1,000 from his military retirement fund for the both of you.” 

They all stared at him with open mouths, unable to truly process what he was saying.

“$100,000?” Sam finally choked out.

“We’re splitting $100,000?” Dean mumbled.

Michael shook his head.

“Oh no, you misunderstand.” He said, looking over at Castiel and winking in amusement over their astonishment. “That would be $100,000 each.”

Sam looked like he would faint as Jess put a hand over her mouth. Dean looked like he was ready to pinch himself as he sat back in his chair and looked at the desk with wide eyes.

“How is this possible?” Sam asked.

“Many of his causes of death are attributed to trauma suffered in his service to our country.” Michael answered.

“He died because he drank too much.” Dean said, confused.

“He most likely suffered from PTSD after the war and that could have led to the troubles he had later in life.” Castiel said, knowing that many soldiers went down the same path. “The military doesn’t want it getting out that their soldiers are becoming alcoholics and dying from cirrhosis of the liver even if it’s something that everyone is mostly aware of. This is their way of keeping you silent.”

Michael nodded as Dean and Sam exchanged uncertain looks.

“So we just get the money? No strings attached?” Dean asked carefully.

“No strings attached.” Michael nodded in agreement, looking at them with a smile. “My recommendation is… try not to spend it all in one place and put half of it in a savings account so that it can gather interest.”

He left the papers on the desk, putting them back in the folder.

“That’s it?” Sam questioned.

“You have to give the insurance agency your bank account numbers so that they can wire you the money but… yes. That’s it.” Michael nodded, standing up.

Dean stood as well, holding his hand out to Castiel’s older brother.

“Thank you.” he said, shaking Michael’s hand. “You didn’t have to help my father or us so… thank you.”

Michael simply smiled at him.

“What do we owe you for your time and services?” Sam asked, still feeling slightly suspicious.

“Don’t concern yourself with anything, Mr. Winchester.” Michael said as he walked towards the door.

He paused and turned back to look at them.

“I’m meeting my pro bono quota for the month.” 

Castiel grinned at him as he walked out, leaving them alone.

“Sam.” Jess whispered, reaching over to grasp his hand. “$100,000.”

The younger Winchester glanced back over at her, looking just as shocked.

“Say it again.” Dean said, looking at her.

Jess grinned up at him.

“$100,000.” She said louder.

“Say it again!” Sam joined, smiling as well.

“$100,000!” Jess yelled.

Sam leapt up, pulling her into his arms and kissing her passionately. Dean yanked Castiel to him, squeezing him tightly as he buried his face in his hair.

“So about that spring break thing…” he said, pulling away to look down at him.

\----------

Castiel bounced on his toes excitedly, unable to keep his patience. His family was hovering in the doorway to the living room, all watching him as he paced around, checked his bag, and peered out of the window.

“I think he’s sick.” Gabriel whispered.

“He’s fine.” Rebecca said, rolling her eyes.

“Gabriel might be onto something.” Anna said. “I haven’t seen him this excited about anything that isn’t to do with school… ever.”

The others tried to keep their huffs of laughter quiet.

“But this is Dean.” Chuck reminded her. “Castiel gets excited if he hears his name.”

Suddenly a pair of narrowed blue eyes turned on them.

“I can hear everything you’re saying.” He said.

They all tried to look innocent but it didn’t work. Luckily, Castiel heard the low rumble of Dean’s Impala in the next moment. He reached down, snatching up his duffle bag before practically throwing the front door open. The others followed, amusement clear on their faces. Dean had barely pulled up before Castiel was pulling open his back door and throwing his bag in.

“Drive away now.” He hissed, trying to get in as quickly as he could.

“Not so fast.” Chuck called.

Castiel winced and pulled himself out of the car, turning to face his parents unwillingly. Dean climbed out of the car, greeting them with a nod.

“Mayor. Mrs. Novak.” 

“Chuck and Rebecca, Dean. Please.” His mother said, smiling at him.

“We just wanted to make sure you got off all right.” Chuck said, glancing at Dean’s car.

Castiel closed his eyes, praying that they could leave as soon as possible.

“That’s very kind of you, sir.” Dean said, smiling at them.

Cas turned, squinting at him.

“You sure this thing’s going to last on the road?” Gabriel asked, peering at the Impala.

Anna let out a laugh as Dean stared at him, wondering if it was an insult to his baby.

“If it does break down, Dean is the best mechanic any of us know. I’m sure he’ll figure it out.” Rebecca said confidently.

“Thanks.” Dean nodded, flushing at her praise. 

“Plus he has his precious little apprentice with him.” Anna reminded them.

Castiel glared at her before looking at his parents desperately.

“All right, I think we’ve tortured them enough.” Chuck said, stepping away with sparkling eyes.

“Have fun.” Rebecca said, smiling at them.

“Be safe.” Anna said teasingly, waving at them.

“Have a good time.” Gabriel said suggestively.

Castiel shook his head, climbing into the car and burying his head in his hands. Dean was laughing when he climbed in next to him.

“Your family is always… an experience.”

He looked over at him with a miserable expression.

“Please get me out of here.” Cas muttered.

Dean obliged, waving at the gathered Novaks as they drove off. As they neared the edge of Lawrence, Castiel’s excitement raised higher and higher. Dean sensed it, reaching over to grasp his hand.

“A week.” He said, grinning.

Castiel beamed back, scooting closer to him.

“A whole week, no hiding, no worrying about who’ll see. Just us.” He breathed, looking elated.

Dean nodded, leaning into kiss him despite the fact that he was driving. Castiel flushed happily, shaking his head.

“Watch the road, you maniac.” He said, reaching out to switch his radio on.

\----------

When they pulled up to the first motel about seven hours into their trip, it was raining. Castiel hurried into the reception office behind Dean.

“I need one room.” he said, pulling out his card.

“Single or double?” the man asked, not bothering to look up at them.

“Single, king sized please.” Dean said, winking over at Castiel.

He smiled, flushing as he looked down at his feet. The man finally glanced up, staring between them before shaking his head and taking Dean’s card. He ran it and gave them a key, pointing them in the right direction. By the time they grabbed their bags and ran to the room, they were both soaked through. Castiel huddled in the middle of the motel room as Dean switched on lights and locked the door. The mechanic glanced over at him and laughed, walking to him.

“You look like a drowned kitten.” Dean said, taking Castiel’s bag from him and setting it on the ground.

Cas glared up at him.

“I’m cold.” He said, shivering as the air kicked on and blew a frigid blast of air straight on them.

Dean reached over to the thermostat, turning it on heat before pulling him towards the bed, pushing his jacket off.

“I can think of a way to warm you up.” He said, grinning.

Castiel let a smile form on his face, allowing Dean to pull him onto the bed. Soon all of his clothes were gone and Dean was hovering over him, staring at his naked body hungrily. Before he did anything else, he reached down and unzipped his bag to pull out the small bottle that he brought with him. Castiel shivered for a different reason as Dean slid his hands down his torso and his lips followed them, kissing every inch of skin that he could find. When Dean blew warm air on his already swollen cock, he let out a whine and bucked upwards, fisting his hands in the blankets of the bed. The older male didn’t waste any time, sliding his tongue up the vein on the underside of his length before taking the tip into his mouth.

The teenager whimpered, fighting the urge to thrust upwards as Dean hollowed out his cheeks and took more of him into his mouth. When his hands pulled his legs open, Castiel allowed them to fall apart. Moments later, a slick finger prodded at his entrance and he relaxed, his body filled with a burning lust as he squeezed his eyes shut and gasped Dean’s name. The first finger slid in as Dean bobbed up and down. Castiel bucked beneath him without meaning to, an apology quickly falling out of his mouth. Dean squeezed his hip, letting him know that it was okay. The finger slid in and out of him, curling and stroking his inner walls. When the second finger pushed past his entrance, Castiel writhed on the bed and pleaded for more.

Dean moaned around his cock just as he pressed his fingers against his prostate. Cas let out a sob, throwing his head back and repeating his name over and over again. Dean was relentless, taking him in his mouth quickly as his fingers stimulated his prostate endlessly. Castiel knew that he was going to finish soon, his stomach curling and tightening. Dean ignored his warnings, taking as much of him as he could in his mouth as he slid a third finger into him and pressed them against his prostate. Castiel came with a hoarse shout, vaguely aware of Dean swallowing his come as it spilled into his mouth.

Castiel was spread out on the bed, his skin flushed and his eyes hazy. Dean crawled up next to him, divesting himself of the rest of his clothes. When Castiel moved up, he stopped him, knowing what he was doing.

“This was about you.” Dean said, leaning in to kiss his lips lightly. “I’ll be fine for the night.”

Castiel smiled, leaning in to kiss him deeply. He tasted himself in Dean’s mouth and the thought made his heart skip a beat as he settled against his lover’s chest underneath the blankets. They quickly fell asleep, their bodies curled together.

\----------

When he woke up, Castiel immediately shot his hand out to grip the sheets. He was on his side, his back pressed against Dean’s chest. His legs were spread, one of them draped over the Dean’s legs. He could feel his lover’s swollen cock pressing against his lower back but that was not what made him gasp and grind backwards. Dean’s lubed up middle finger was slowly tracing his entrance, lazily circling it.

“Mmm.” Dean murmured, pressing a kiss just behind his ear. “There you are.”

Castiel moaned and bit his lip as his cock bobbed against his stomach and pre-come leaked out of it.

“You know what I was thinking?” the mechanic asked, still keeping up the same rhythm.

Cas knew he was playing a game and he could hardly think enough to know how to play it.

“Wh-what?” he gasped out.

Dean nipped at his earlobe, his other hand coming around to circle his nipple in the same lazy motion.

“We should relax today, maybe go for a nice walk and have lunch. We can take off driving again later this evening, maybe drive a little into the night.” He said.

Castiel whimpered, his body trembling with need as he tried to keep his concentration.

“That sounds…” he gasped when another finger began circling his entrance and Dean rutted his cock against his ass. “… good.”

Dean smiled against his neck, pressing a kiss to his throat.

“I thought you would like that.” he said softly, teasing his hole and nipple endlessly.

Castiel thought he was going to go mad at the light touches, his breaths coming out in short, jerky gasps.

“Dean…” he groaned. “… please.”

“Please what?” the older male asked innocently, pressing his finger against his hole and barely sliding it in before stroking just around the rim.

Castiel’s heart was pounding in his chest and he let out a cry of frustration and desire.

“Please, do something.” He panted.

Dean grinned, not changing his movements as he nibbled on his skin.

“I was thinking Italian for lunch.”

Castiel almost sobbed out of frustration, squeezing the sheets as tightly as he could.

“Dean…” he growled, shaking beneath his lover’s touch. “I need you to fuck me.”

The other male lifted himself up, looking down at Castiel’s flushed and desperate face.

“Well, why didn’t you just say so?” Dean asked.

Castiel started to glare up at him but suddenly he had two finger sinking inside of him. He let out a moan, pushing back against them. Dean avoided his prostate, stretching him out by scissoring his fingers. His other hand continued to tweak and stroke his nipples, stimulating him still. When his fingers disappeared, Castiel began to complain before he felt the blunt head of Dean’s cock pressing against him. It was already lubricated, ready to sink into his body and take him. Dean didn’t move, stroking around his hole as Castiel bucked and writhed beneath him.

“Please… I need… I need you.” he pleaded.

“Shh.” Dean murmured, stroking his hair with his free hand. “I got you.”

Castiel whimpered as he pushed into him, giddy and relieved that Dean was finally filling him. When he was fully seated inside of him, Dean pulled him back against him and began thrusting forward. At this angle, they were too close together for Dean’s cock to stroke the sweet spot inside of Castiel. The frustration made him whine and try to wriggle away from him. Dean didn’t allow him to, peppering kisses to his skin as he thrusted into him. Finally, after several minutes of pleading and moaning for more, Dean released him and turned over, pulling him up onto his lap. Castiel leaned forward, bracing his hands on the bed and lifting his hips.

Dean seized his hips, holding them in place as he snapped his own hips upward. Castiel cried out, throwing his head back in pleasure as he finally felt the stimulation on his prostate. Dean didn’t give him a chance to grow used to it, thrusting into him hard and fast, drawing moans and sobs out of him with each stroke. He didn’t even have the presence of mind to reach between his legs and stroke himself. Castiel was pushing back against Dean, meeting his thrusts each time. Dean’s hand stroked his spine as he praised him and moaned at how good he felt.

Castiel felt the first wave of pleasure and he let out a shout of Dean’s name, spilling his seed into his hand so that it didn’t go all over the motel room bed. Dean groaned at the feeling of his walls clenching around his cock and soon, his own come was filling Castiel, spilling inside of him as he fought the urge to slump forward. Dean stopped when they became too sensitive. Pulling out and laying Castiel on the bed. Cas rolled onto his stomach once he wiped his hand and softening cock off. He was breathing heavily and still trembling as Dean stood to walk into the bathroom and grab a warm washcloth. When he walked back in, the sight of the teenager spread on the bed, thoroughly fucked out with his legs spread lazily was enough to make him stare.

Dean finally moved, pressing soft, open-mouthed kisses to Castiel’s back as he cleaned him up. When he finally recovered, Cas pushed himself up and turned, kissing Dean full on the mouth. They remained locked together for several minutes before they broke apart gasping for air. Castiel looked into Dean’s eyes, amazement in his own orbs.

“That was…” he shook his head, not able to find the right word. “… amazing.”

Dean grinned at him, stroking his fingers up his spine as he pulled him off the bed.

“I’m not just a pretty face.” he said, pulling Castiel towards the bathroom.

They showered slowly, washing each other off and worshipping each other’s bodies reverently. When they finished, they climbed out and dried off, getting distracted by kissing each other happily. Finally, they managed to get dressed and walk out of the motel room. It was bright and sunny now, warmth seeping through their clothes. True to his word, Dean pulled Castiel into an Italian restaurant with a grin as he laughed at him. The fact that they didn’t have to hide anything was filling both male with elation.

\----------

Castiel sighed as he reclined on the sand, his arm thrown over his eyes as he basked in the warmth. A shout sounded and he glanced up to see Dean and Sam throwing a football back and forth over a long distance. Jess smiled next to him, shaking her head at them.

“It’s nice to see them happy.” She said.

He nodded in agreement, picking up his phone to answer Jo’s text asking how everything was going.

“Dean has enjoyed it here.” He said, glancing around the beach. “I think he likes California more than he’ll let on.”

Jess let out a laugh.

“He would never admit it, though. He likes being able to tease Sam about living here.” She said.

Castiel huffed out a laugh as well. After several more minutes of watching, he sighed heavily.

“I wasn’t sure if I would see him happy again after John died.” He admitted.

Jess reached over, taking his hand and squeezing it.

“I’m glad you stuck with him.” she said. “He’s worth it.”

Castiel nodded, watching Dean as he tackled Sam into the water and let out a triumphant noise before his brother dragged him into the salty water as well.

“I know.” 

\----------

The four let out a burst of laughter as Dean finished telling his story, earning dirty looks from the people sitting at the surrounding tables. Castiel’s hand was gripped in Dean’s, sitting on the table for all to see. As they all ate the fancy food, Castiel marveled over this. They were all very good in a group. He could not have appreciated Dean’s brother and his girlfriend more than he did now. Outside of Lawrence, it seemed that a weight lifted off of all of their shoulders and they were allowed to freely have fun. As they finished eating and they were taken away, Sam cleared his throat before they could order dessert. Dean looked at his brother and Jess expectantly and Castiel stared between them, wondering what was going on.

“Jess.” Sam said, turning to her. “I know that some people wonder if they went the right direction with their lives and that sometimes that will haunt them until they die. I have the safe knowledge of knowing that, even though bad stuff has happened and we’ve had to go through a lot, I chose right. I will never regret going to Stanford and getting lost on the way to the laundry room so that a certain sympathetic person could point out the way to me.”

The blonde flushed and grinned at him as he took both of her hands in his.

“I love you and I am so grateful to have met you.”

Dean squeezed Castiel’s hand lightly, grinning over at him.

“I’ve wanted to do this for a while but I couldn’t figure out the right way to do it. Here and now, with my brother and Castiel here, I know it’s the right time.”

Sam pulled a small box out of his jacket and Jess’ hand lifted to her mouth as tears filled her eyes. He slid down to the floor onto one knee as he opened it to reveal a sparkling ring.

“Jessica Lee Moore…” Sam said, looking up at her with love shining in his eyes. “You are the most amazing person I could have ever found and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?”

Jess nodded, letting out a cross between a sob and a laugh as Castiel and Dean grinned at them. The rest of the restaurant was watching with soft smiles as he slid the ring on her finger and they embraced, kissing passionately. Jess laughed as she pulled away, shaking her head at him.

“I love you, Sam Winchester.” She said, stroking his cheek.

“I love you, Jess.” He said, beaming at her.

Dean leaned over to Castiel, kissing him lightly before putting his lips at his ear.

“I love you.” he whispered.

Cas flushed with pleasure, grinning over at him.

“I love you as well.” he nodded.

They both stood, embracing the newly engaged couple before Dean offered to pay for the check on the happy occasion.

\----------

Castiel embraced Dean tightly, not caring that they were back in Lawrence. They were safely on his porch hidden by the trees at the end of the driveway. He kissed him deeply, his hands sliding into Dean’s hair. The mechanic held him close, his arms around his back. When he pulled away, he looked up at Dean with a soft gaze.

“Thank you for a perfect week.” Castiel murmured.

“Thank you.” Dean replied, stroking his cheek.

He smiled at him, leaning in for one more kiss.

“I’ll see you Monday.” Dean said as he walked down the porch backwards.

Castiel nodded, waving goodbye before turning to walk inside. When he saw that the entryway was suspiciously empty, he sighed and dropped his duffle bag on the ground.

“You can come out.” he said.

His family members came from all directions, questioning him innocently about how his week was. Castiel rolled his eyes and smiled, shaking his head as he filled him in on all that they saw on their road trip to California.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like I said, I’m not super proud of this chapter. I think it’s all right but it’s more of a filler and I’m sorry for that. I hope you don’t hate it too much.


	31. Chapter 30

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At Castiel’s graduation, several surprising things are revealed that impact the future of Dean and Castiel’s relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter isn’t going to be as long as some of the others have been. It’s the wrap up of everything so yes, it is the last chapter. That being said, as I get inspiration, I might add more short stories from this universe in the future. So keep an eye out for those.
> 
> Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed this story. You are all beautiful, amazing people. I am ending this story now because I have decided to start working on my original novel. Thank you to everyone and I love you very much.
> 
> By the way, this is skipping to the end of the school year.

“I hate you.”

“You love me.”

Jo huffed, crossing her arms over her chest as she glared up at him.

“You have to tell me where you’re going! It’s not fair that everyone else knows and I don’t!” she complained.

Castiel smiled, shaking his head as he stowed his bag in his locker.

“Everyone else does not know. My family knows and that is it.”

His best friend stared at him doubtfully.

“Dean doesn’t know?” she asked.

Castiel shook his head.

“It’s a surprise… for everyone. You’ll find out when they announce it at graduation.” He said.

They both walked through the door, heading towards the garage.

“Castiel James Novak as your best friend, I demand that you tell me what college you’re going to!” Jo said with an air of finality.

“Joanna Beth Harvelle as your best friend, I advise that you wait and see.” Castiel said, grinning at her as they crossed the grassy field.

Moments later, they were surrounded by their fellow auto shop classmates. Jo pouted as she was interrupted from interrogating him.

“Who do you think will get it?” Ed asked.

“It will be one of them.” Harry said confidently, nodding at Cas and Jo.

“Why do you say that?” Castiel asked.

“You’re closest with Dean.” Ed shrugged.

“It does make sense.” Garth nodded.

He shook his head.

“Dean is going to judge this impartially. He’s a fair teacher and he won’t play favorites. He’ll give the car to whomever deserves it. I know that I do not deserve it. Despite the fact that you all lied for me and said that I was attending class, I did skip it for quite a few weeks in a row.” Castiel reminded them.

“Then Jo will get it.” Harry sighed.

“I fucked up my air filter and the radio gets louder when you turn the volume down. I doubt I’m getting it.” she said, cracking a smile.

“Then who do you think will get it?” Ed repeated.

Castiel turned towards them as he pushed the door closed.

“I have my suspicions.” He said, his eyes flickering to Garth.

Cas grinned at him and Garth’s mouth fell open in shock as he stood fixed in place.

“You think I’ll get it?” he said, sounding like he heard something completely impossible.

Castiel shrugged, holding the door open for everyone.

“I think you have a good shot.” He said, patting his shoulder.

Garth suddenly pulled him into a hug.

“That’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me.” the other teenager said.

Castiel’s eyes widened as Jo laughed at them. He awkwardly hugged him back.

“I think that’s enough, Garth.” he finally said after the hug went on for a while.

Garth pulled away, his eyes misty.

“Thank you, Castiel. I didn’t even think you noticed me.” he said, nodding at him before moving away.

Jo grinned at him as they walked towards their finished cars.

“You know, even if he doesn’t get the car, I think you just made his entire life.” she said, watching as Garth grinned and patting the hood of his car. “But you really don’t think you’ll get it? I mean, your car is perfect.”

Castiel looked down at the shiny red paint that covered his rebuilt car.

“I told Dean not to even consider me.” he admitted. “I don’t deserve it and we both knew it.”

Jo sighed, standing next to him as they looked down at it.

“Still… it’s special.” She said sadly.

Castiel shrugged, turning towards her with a smile.

“There are things that matter more.” He said, glancing up at Dean where he was standing by the desk.

The mechanic winked at him.

“All right, everyone quiet down.” he called.

They all turned to him, sitting on the hoods of their cars as they watched him with rapt attention.

“This has been a great year and you’ve all made some beautiful cars. They have their problems, I will admit.”

His eyes flashed to Jo and everyone laughed as they remembered Dean trying to get the radio to turn off when the music only got louder.

“But they all look great. Unfortunately, only one lucky student gets to take their car home with them. Call it a graduation gift from yours truly.”

Everyone waited with bated breath as he took a dramatic pause.

“The lucky student who gets to take home their very own rebuilt from the ground car… Garth Fitzgerald!”

They all cheered, laughing as Garth looked like he was torn between bursting into tears and letting out a whoop of joy. Dean held up the keys as the teenager stumbled forward. When Garth yanked him into a hug, his eyes widened and he thumped his back a few times, nodding at him as he pulled away.

“Thank you.” they barely heard Garth say as he took the keys.

He beamed at all of them as he stumbled back to his car and looked at it with reverence.

“All right, since this is our last day of classes and I don’t have any final tests for you… I’m calling it a free day. Do what you want. You can sit in your cars for the last time or you can admire each other’s or… if you want to be one of the smart ones…” Dean’s eyes flashed to Castiel and he flushed. “… you can study.”

Everyone cheered for Dean as he took a dramatic bow.

“Hey!” Ed raised his hand, looking eager.

“Yeah?” Dean nodded.

“Since you said we can do whatever we want… does that mean we can touch your car?” he asked.

Everyone turned to look at the black Impala sitting pristinely in the corner of the garage. They all turned back to Dean, who looked like he was being strangled.

“Only if you want to lose a hand.” He said, shaking his head.

They all laughed as Ed and Harry both looked disappointed.

\----------

Castiel took a deep as he climbed up the ladder. Behind him, he heard his siblings doing the same.

“I feel ridiculous.” Michael said, stepping onto the roof.

“It’s tradition.” Anna said, grinning at him.

Gabriel came up last, setting the six-pack of beers on the ground before handing them out to everyone.

“It’s a great tradition.” Lucifer corrected her.

They all walked to the edge of the roof, sitting down with their legs dangling off. When Michael graduated, they all came to the roof of the school building to drink and talk. Lucifer was next, followed by Anna and then Gabriel. Castiel was going to be last. He usually drank water or a soda but this time he agreed to actually drink.

“This is our last time to do this.” Anna sighed, looking out at the bright lights of the town.

“Good thing too.” Gabriel said. “We’d probably get caught if we did it again.”

Castiel took a deep breath, looking out to where his home was. Then his eyes flickered across the town to where Dean’s apartment building stood.

“What do you think, little brother.” Michael asked, glancing at him. “You think you’re going to miss Lawrence?”

He shrugged, taking a sip of his beer.

“I’ll miss parts of it.” Castiel answered with a nod.

“You won’t miss Gabriel, though.” Lucifer said, grinning.

They all laughed as Gabriel glared around at them.

“He’ll have to come back and visit. He has his boy here and I know they’re not going to go long without constant visits.” Gabriel said, nudging Castiel.

He flushed and shook his head.

“Dean and I will be fine.” Cas said confidently. “We are certain of it.”

“So are we, Cas.” Anna said, rubbing his back.

He smiled at her and they sat in silence, all drinking and looking at the town.

“There’s been a Novak in these halls for years. What are they going to do without us?” Gabriel wondered, glancing down at the high school.

“Probably heave a giant sigh of relief.” Anna said.

They all murmured in agreement.

“Not with Cassie gone. He’s such a good influence on everyone.” Lucifer said teasingly.

“I’m drinking beer at eighteen on the top of my school’s cafeteria.” Castiel said, raising an eyebrow at him. “Not exactly role model material.”

“But you’re starting off the rest of your life right and that’s what matters.” Michael said.

“And I’ll toast to that.” Anna responded.

They all grinned, holding their bottles up and clinking them together before drinking out of them.

\----------

Castiel paced back and forth, holding the note cards in his hands as his red graduation gown swished around his ankles.

“Castiel?” a voice said behind him.

He turned to see Samandriel there.  
“What’s going on?” Castiel said, moving towards him.

“Nothing I just… I wanted to say thank you.” the younger teenager looked up at him. “You had every right to hate me and you became friends with me instead.”

Castiel smiled at him, nodding.

“You’re a good person, Samandriel. I wouldn’t have hated you.” he said, patting his arm.

The kid nodded, grinning at him before turning to walk away.

“Hey.” Castiel called to him.

Samandriel turned back, looking at him with an expectant look.

“Take care of this place.” he said, gesturing to the high school.

He nodded, beaming at him.

“I’ll try my best.” Samadriel agreed.

Castiel took a deep breath, stepping out of the building. He saw the big crowd gathered on the football field preparing for the ceremony. He fixed the cap on his head before turning to glance at his fellow graduating students who were about to walk out for the processional.

“Castiel!”

Bela ushered him towards the students, lining him up in the right place alphabetically.

“Are you ready for the speech?” she asked.

He nodded, swallowing nervously. The drama teacher smiled at him.

“You’ll do great. I taught you well.” she said, nodding at him before hurrying to the front once again. “Heads up, smiles on. Remember, these people are here for you.”

Jo turned, giving Castiel a grin and a thumbs up as they marched towards the field. Just as they reached the gates, the music started up. The crowd was silently watching as the students walked out one by one, standing in front of their seats until the last one filed in.

“Welcome to the commencement ceremony of this year’s graduating class.” Principal Crowley said, looking around at them. “Students may be seated.”

They all sat still, listening to his speech and the presentation of the class’ gift to the school.

“We will now announce those students who have received highest honors from the school for their academic success and conduct.”

One by one, students stood as their names were called. When Castiel stood, he heard whooping and flushed red when he looked over his shoulder at his brothers and sister.

“Yes, who can forget that we have been fortunate to have many of the Novaks sitting in these very chairs? Even if we tried, I’m not certain that the louder of the siblings would allow us to forget them.” Crowley said dryly.

Castiel grinned and shook his head as the ceremony continued. Finally, he knew that it was time for his speech. Bela gestured for him to walk out as the superintendent of the district announced him.

“We are fortunate to be welcoming this young man to the stage. He is not only a student who went above and beyond to prove himself academically, but he is someone who has many friends and family who will vouch for his character and who we all expect great things from. Graduating class of Lawrence High School, I give you Castiel Novak, Valedictorian.”

He walked onto the stage as cheers erupted around him. Castiel smiled, nodding at everyone as his cheeks burned red. When the noise died down, he nodded.

“Thank you.” he said, arranging his notes on the podium.

When he lifted his head, he looked out at the faces of his fellow students. Behind them, he caught sight of the teachers and he found himself staring into the green eyes that entranced him so beautifully the first day of his senior year. Castiel took a deep breath, nodding. He didn’t need his notes, he knew that now. He would be able to do this because he knew that there were people in the audience whom he loved and who he loved back. He would speak to them.

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. It is a great honor to be here. I would like to express my appreciation to all of my teachers, friends, and family members who helped to get to where I am right now: standing here in front of you. I would also like to thank the administration for providing me with this opportunity.” Castiel said formally, his hands gripping the sides of the podium. “Almost exactly four years ago, I remember leaving my middle school class for the last time and heading into the exciting world of high school. I know that a lot of teachers were wary to have yet another Novak in this school after having my brothers and sister in their classes. We are all a bit much to handle at times and I have the highest respect for each and every adult who managed to survive our years here.

I was terrified coming to Lawrence High School. My older siblings had very good experiences here and they were all highly regarded. I quickly found my place in a group of friends and began pursuing the highest level of education that I could. As a result of this, I wound up exhausting the amount of advanced placement classes that I could take. At the beginning of this year, I was not excited to be here. I was forced to take elective classes that I had no interest in.”

Castiel paused, staring out at the students and teachers before glancing up at the families in the stands.

“Little did I know, that would be the best thing that happened in my years at this school. I thought that elective classes were frivolous and ridiculous. My family tried to convince me otherwise but if anyone knows me, they know that I am stubborn and that I will not listen when my mind is set on something. I was surprised to see that electives were not as I originally thought. They were not a waste of time nor were they debilitating towards my academic career. Math and science classes can give you so much knowledge but these other classes give you experiences. I did not know that they offered the perfect combination when they were balanced with the more advanced classes that I longed for. I learned that in these classes, you got the chance to share ideas, passions, and strengths.

But my experiences are not the only ones at this school. Each and every one of us makes up this class and we should all be proud of what we have done this year. Your vast talents range from the performing arts to athletics to vocational endeavors to various fields of academic study. For proof, look no further than the results of the our state football tournament, the other six state tournaments we have been a part of this year, the resounding success of our two plays, the size of our Advanced Placement classes, and the results of various local, state, national and international competitions where we have distinguished ourselves and proudly represented this wonderful place.

We have been given such rich opportunities in a safe and happy environment, and for that reason I believe that we can overcome any obstacle. And we should, because if we don't, we are wasting our potential. When I realized that I could not go the rest of my life doing just what will help me succeed in my chosen career path, my life became much fuller and I became happier. I performed in a play, something I never imagined that I could do. I rebuilt a car from the ground up, something that no one who knows me ever imagined that I could do.”

A low rumble of laughter went through the crowd as he smiled slightly.

“I stepped out of my comfort zone this year and I reaped the benefits. It was hard at times, no doubt. My life is better for it and I am better for it. My vision of the world has changed and my goals for the future have changed. I still want to be a world-renowned surgeon. However, I want to have a life as well. I want to have a family and I want to have fun. It is time to set goals for your future. Before you can do that, however, you need a vision. A dream. Over the next few years you may end up at a college or trade school. You may begin working full-time or even start a family. No matter what your dream is for the future, you can get there with the dedication, determination, and focus that you have learned while here at this very high school. Just remember to have fun every once in a while. Sign up for the class that has nothing to do with your degree. Go to the party where you know no one but put yourself out there and get to know everyone. Have fun. We, the graduating class of Lawrence High School, are a powerhouse of innovation and creativity. We will push boundaries to make this world a better place even in small ways. Always remember where you came from. And always remember where you are going. Congratulations, graduates.”

The audience clapped and cheered as he stepped off of the stage. Crowley took his place on the stage.

“As the administrator of this school, I officially announce the recommendation for completion of this program of study.”

One by one, students’ names were called. Castiel cheered for each of his friends along with their families. When it came time for his name to be called, he took a deep breath and a slow smile spreaded across his face.

“Castiel James Novak.” The principal said.

He stood, walking up to the stage at an even pace.

“Castiel is the son of Charles and Rebecca Novak and brother to Michael, Lucifer, Anna, and Gabriel Novak.” Crowley said as he walked onto the stage. “He is this year’s valedictorian and we are proud to announce that he has been offered a full ride scholarship to Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, which he has eagerly accepted.”

The man turned, reaching out his hand to shake Castiel’s as he handed him the diploma.

“We are excited to see what the future holds for this young man and we wish him luck in all future endeavors.” Crowley said formally, nodding at him.

Castiel grinned, pulling his tassle around to the other side of his cap as he descended the stage. When he caught Jo’s eye, she had her hand over her mouth and her eyes were shining with tears at the announcement. He nodded at her. The rest of the ceremony seemed to be a blur. Before he knew it, Castiel and his fellow students were leaping up and throwing their caps into the air. Cheers resounded around them as the families began pouring onto the field to find their children. Castiel found himself with Jo squeezing him tightly.

“I can’t believe this.” she said, drawing away and grinning at him. “You’re going to Stanford!”

“And you’re going to UCLA. Looks like we’ll have to visit each other in California.” Castiel said, his eyes shining happily as they grinned at each other.

His family found him soon after, all of them hugging him tightly.

“That was beautiful.” Rebecca whispered, pulling away with a smile. “We are so proud of you.”

“They’re just happy to finally have a smart one in the family.” Gabriel joked.

“Oh hush.” She said, slapping his arm. “All of my children are smart.”

Castiel laughed with all of them, his eyes sliding past his brothers to see Dean standing there talking to Sam and Jess. Sam said something and nudged him when he caught sight of Castiel. He shoved his diploma into his mother’s arms before moving past them. Dean walked towards him as well, meeting him in the middle of all the celebrating families.

“So… Palo Alto, huh?” he said, grinning.

“I thought you’d like that.” Castiel shrugged, unable to keep himself from smiling.

Dean handed him a few papers that were in his hands.

“What is this?” Cas asked with confusion, staring up at him.

“A copy of my resignation from Lawrence High School. I gave the real thing to Crowley a few days ago.”

Castiel’s jaw dropped and he stared at him with shock.

“This means…” he cut off, too surprised to speak.

“I am no longer a teacher. I’m not working for Bobby anymore either. I’ve decided what to do with the money I’ve come into. I think I’m going to open my very own garage. I promised Garth a job there, anyway.” He said.

Castiel stared at him with wide eyes.

“Here in Lawrence?” he questioned, his voice shaky as he stared at his lover.

Dean shrugged, glancing around.

“I don’t know… you think Palo Alto could use some good mechanics? I mean those spoiled kids at Stanford… I doubt any of them even know how to change a tire.” He said, grinning as he looked back at Castiel.

He stared at him, his mind catching up with the words. Before he knew it, he dropped the papers in his hands and launched at the other man. Dean caught him, laughing in the few moments before their lips connected. They kissed passionately, no care for anyone around them that would see. Dean held him closely, his hand gripping the back of Castiel’s graduation gown as his hand weaved in his hair. They heard whooping and laughing and they broke apart, their cheeks burning as they glanced around. Everyone within their vicinity, including Castiel’s family and classmates, were watching them. They were all grinning, cheering for the mechanic and the valedictorian.

“I guess the cat’s out of the bag.” Dean said quietly, not letting Castiel go from their embrace.

“Oh well.” Cas said, looking back at him with sparkling eyes. “It was bound to happen sooner or later.”

A few minutes later, he was being dragged towards the parking lot by Gabriel.

“What is going on?” he demanded.

“Your graduation present.” Anna said, walking alongside them looking proud.

Dean, Sam, and Jess were following them along with the rest of his family and the Harvelle women. Castiel stared in shock at what he saw sitting there.

“What? How?” he stammered.

A set of keys was pushed into his hands and Dean grinned down at him.

“Your siblings all pitched in and bought it off of Bobby.” He said.

Castiel looked out at the car before looking at his brothers and sister.

“We figured that you put up with enough shit. We owe you one.” Lucifer said teasingly.

Castiel gathered them all into a hug before walking to the shining red car that he rebuilt.

“It looks even more beautiful now that it’s yours, huh?” Dean asked.

Cas nodded, putting his hand on the hood reverently.

“What are you going to call it?” Jo asked as they all walked up to the car.

Castiel shrugged, glancing at Dean.

“Maybe this’ll be my baby.” He said, smiling.

Gabriel whistled as he peeked inside.

“Maybe I’ll buy one of these beauties once I have my bakery up and running.” He considered.

“You should buy the one Jo did.” Castiel said.

Jo and Dean laughed as Gabriel looked at them all suspiciously. Castiel reached out, pulling Dean in once more.

“Thank you.” he said, gazing up into his eyes.

“For what” Dean asked.

He shrugged, smiling.

“Everything.”

They kissed again and everyone made noises of disgust and exhaustion, rolling their eyes at the happy couple.

“Oh shut up.” Dean said, shaking his head.

Castiel caught sight of someone moving across the parking lot. He disengaged from Dean and found himself running towards her.

“Miss Braedon!” he called.

Lisa turned around, looking surprised.

“Oh, hello Castiel. Congratulations.” She nodded at him. “Your speech was excellent.”

He nodded back at her before taking a deep breath.

“I just wanted to say thank you.” Castiel said.

“For what?” Lisa asked, looking confused.

He smiled slightly, wringing his hands together.

“For making me take those elective classes.”

A knowledgeable smile formed on her face and she glanced past him where Dean was talking with Castiel’s family beside the car.

“Take care of him, Castiel. You’re good for each other.” Lisa said, turning away.

Castiel smiled, turning back to walk to his family.

“I say, dinner. All of us.” Chuck said. “We have a lot of celebrating to do.”

They all nodded in agreement.

“Congratulations on the full ride.” Sam said, reaching out to shake Castiel’s hand.

He pulled Dean’s younger brother into a hug, pulling away with a smile.

“Thank you, Sam.” he said.

Castiel hugged Jess next.

“You’ll be at the wedding now.” She said, beaming.

“He would have been there before.” Dean said, sliding his hand into Castiel’s. “The best man needs a hot date, after all.”

\----------

**Four Months Later**

Castiel looked around at the room with satisfaction.

“It looks great.” Inias, his roommate, said happily.

“It does.” He agreed.

They had spent the last three days working tirelessly to get their dorm room ready and perfect.

“Hey, I was wondering… do you want to go out for coffee later?” Inias asked, turning to Castiel.

A knock sounded on their open door and Dean stuck his head in, Jess and Sam standing behind him with smiles on their faces.

“You ready?” he asked, looking at Castiel.

He nodded, grabbing his wallet and keys.

“Sorry, Inias. My evening is full.” He said, walking towards his boyfriend.

Dean squinted at the other teenager and took Castiel’s hand.

“And every single one after that too.” He said, pointing at Inias.

Castiel’s roommate look nervous and he shook his head, shoving Dean out.

“Why did you have to do that? He won’t ever talk to me again now.” He hissed as they walked towards the elevator.

Dean shrugged, grinning down at him.

“I’m a jealous guy, what can I say?”

Castiel shook his head, rolling his eyes. As they reached the parking lot, Dean stopped him.

“Hey.” He said, pulling him in. “You know I love you, right?”

Castiel fought back his smile, shrugging.  
“I guess I do.” He sighed.

Dean bent down, kissing him full on the mouth.

“I love you.” he murmured, kissing his jaw next. “I love you.”

Castiel laughed as he continued kissing him and saying the words.

“Dean stop!” he exclaimed, a smile on his face.

“Not until you say it back.” he mumbled, his lips pressed into his neck.

“I love you, you frustrating…”

The rest of Castiel’s words were cut off with another kiss.

“I love you too.” Dean said, grinning as he pulled him towards the Impala where Sam and Jess were waiting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, thank you so much to everyone who read and reviewed. You are all so lovely and I am so thankful for you.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to let me know what you think. I love and appreciate all feedback.


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